Norton Releases Study on AI & Online Dating Acceptance
55% of online dating app users in the UK would be likely to use an AI tool to develop their dating profile, according to a new study conducted by cyber safety company Norton. The research comes as part of their 2024 Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report.
British attitudes towards AI & online dating
In a study of over 1,000 UK adults, Norton found that 51% would consider using an AI tool as a dating coach. Furthermore, 59% of online daters in the UK shared that they would consider using AI to write a pickup line or conversation starter.
Overall, the study found that only 45% of daters reported a preference to meet a potential partner offline, in real life.
This could be the result of increased worries over online dating fraud. 22% of respondents shared that they have been targeted by a romance scam, 43% of which fell victim to these illegal behaviours.
“Our 2024 report signifies a societal behaviour shift around dating. The digital nature of online dating can make the process feel complicated. It’s not surprising that people are looking to leverage AI to simplify and enhance the experience – but it’s important to consider the other side of that”, said Leyla Bilge, Director of Scam Research Labs for Norton.
“We know cybercriminals are also becoming adept at using AI to exploit and scam people. That means scams are more creative, more sophisticated and much harder to spot, and people must remain vigilant in understanding the risks and red flags. The good news is there are simple steps and precautions to take to avoid falling for a scam rather than a match”, she added.
AI adoption in the U.S.
Across the pond, Norton found that Americans are more open to using AI to improve their online dating experience.
64% of current online daters are interested in using AI as their dating coach, a Norton study found. Furthermore, 71% of people are interested in using AI to write pick up lines and conversation starters, 70% for dating app profile development, and 64% for photo enhancement.
“Online dating is notoriously difficult to navigate and using AI as a dating coach seems innocuous when you’re on the receiving end of a bad pickup line or trying to draft a thoughtful breakup text. However, AI technology can also make online dating riskier and more complicated when it’s utilized in more nefarious ways,” Bilge highlighted.
“Romance scams aren’t new, but AI is changing the game and making these types of scams more common and much harder to spot. People need to stay vigilant for signs of romance scams such as individuals who avoid video or phone calls, have very few images on their dating profiles or attempt to progress the relationship quickly”, she said.
Norton states that education around cyber risks is needed as online dating platforms adopt more AI features and continue to be a site for scams. In response, it points out that the Norton Genie app can help review suspicious texts, emails or web links to improve dating safety.
Click here to read the full 2024 Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report.
