The future of love: Bumble founder says AI could date for you

Dating is hard, but according to Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd, artificial intelligence could help you find your perfect match.

The tech entrepreneur defended the dating app's AI feature on Thursday in San Francisco, even envisioning a future where a person’s virtual dating profile could handle the dating process for them.

"If you want to get really out there, there is a world where your dating concierge could go on dates for you with other dating concierges," said Wolfe.

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"Then you wouldn’t have to talk to 600 people. It could scan all of San Francisco for you and say, 'These are the three people you really ought to meet.' So that’s the power of AI if harnessed the right way."

Many industries are exploring ways to integrate AI into their products, and the business of love is no exception. Bumble is already experimenting with AI that learns about users' preferences and matches them with potential suitors. There are also various AI software programs that help singles make connections by crafting more appealing bios, prompts and responses.

Wolfe Herd stepped down as Bumble’s CEO in November 2023, but remains very involved in the company as the executive chair of its board of directors. Bumble was originally launched as a female-focused dating app, the first where women send the initial message to matched male users. However, the company announced in 2024 that it will sunset that feature and allow either matched user to make first contact.

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Online dating has become increasingly common, especially for younger adults. According to a 2023 Pew Research study, 53% of adults aged 18-29 have ever used a dating site or app. About 51% of the age group have used Bumble. Tinder, however, remains the most widely used dating app among users under 30.

Wolfe Herd believes that AI can address and alleviate many of the hesitations that non-users have with dating apps, but it’s a solution that doesn’t sit right with everyone. Ethical considerations persist; one major concern is the issue of privacy, as AI-driven platforms collect vast amounts of personal data to fuel their matching algorithms.

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Additionally, the reliance on AI to make romantic decisions raises questions about the authenticity and sincerity of human connections. Can an algorithm truly replicate the complexity and nuance of human attraction and compatibility? Some users even call the future that Wolfe Herd described "dystopian."