Almost half of U.S. singles feel negatively about AI in dating, Match says

At a glance:

• 47% of U.S. singles surveyed view AI use in romance negatively.
• 51% of women ages 18‑24 would refuse to date someone using an AI companion app.
• 64% say AI could help them in their dating journey despite overall disapproval.

Match group survey results

The Match Group study polled 1,000 U.S. singles between 18 and 39 years old. Overall, 47% expressed a negative view of AI’s role in romantic contexts, a sentiment that the company describes as “near‑universal” disapproval of actually dating an AI, reminiscent of the film Her. The aversion is strongest among young women: 51% of women aged 18‑24 said they would refuse to date a partner who uses an AI companion app, compared with roughly 40% of the broader sample.

Only a small minority have actually experimented with AI companion apps. Just 12% of respondents aged 18‑24 reported using a companion app in the past three months, and among those users, about one‑third said they were seeking genuine connections with the chatbots. This gap between curiosity and adoption suggests that while the technology is visible, it has not yet become a mainstream dating tool.

How other apps are using AI

Across the industry, major players are already embedding AI‑driven features. Bumble launched “Bee,” a dating assistant that suggests ice‑breakers and profile tweaks. Tinder has poured significant resources into AI tools, to the point where the spending reportedly slowed its hiring pipeline. Hinge’s former CEO stepped down last year to focus on a new, AI‑centric dating platform, underscoring the strategic importance of generative models for the sector.

These implementations typically focus on “hard parts” of the dating experience: helping users punch up their profiles, selecting flattering photos, and keeping conversations flowing when chat goes quiet. Match’s own data shows that 64% of respondents can see value in such assistance, even if they remain skeptical about AI‑mediated relationships.

What the findings mean for the industry

The takeaway for dating‑app entrepreneurs is clear: users want AI to serve as a tool, not a substitute for human connection. As Match summed up in its blog post, singles are asking for help with the logistical and conversational challenges of dating while keeping the emotional core firmly human.

For founders like Bumble’s Whitney Wolfe Herd, who has floated the idea of personal bots that date other bots, the survey is a reality check. While the notion of “bot‑to‑bot” meet‑cutes may sound futuristic, the majority of consumers still consider a relationship with a robot socially unacceptable. Developers will need to balance innovative AI features with transparent, user‑controlled experiences to avoid alienating the very audience they aim to serve.

The broader implication is a market where AI augmentation becomes a differentiator, but overt AI‑driven matchmaking remains a hard sell. Companies that position AI as a discreet enhancer—optimising profiles, suggesting conversation starters, and curating matches—are likely to win user trust, whereas those that push fully autonomous matchmaking may encounter resistance.

Looking ahead

Future research will need to track whether attitudes shift as generative AI becomes more ubiquitous in everyday apps. If younger cohorts grow more comfortable with AI companions, the current 47% negative sentiment could erode, opening new product opportunities. For now, the data suggests a cautious optimism: AI can improve the dating workflow, but the human element remains non‑negotiable.