Using AI Companion Apps Makes Many Singles Dizzy, Survey Finds

Warning: go out with a AI chatbot can decrease your chances of finding love.

A new study from Match Group, the dating company behind popular dating apps like Tinder and Hinge, found that almost half (47%) of the approximately 1,000 people aged 18 to 39 surveyed “view AI negatively in romantic contexts.” And that’s a difficult task for most singles if you’re interested in AI companion apps, like Kindroid and Replika. According to Match Group’s findings, two in five single people aged 18 to 39 refuse to date someone who uses these apps, including more than half (51%) of women aged 18 to 24.

Online dating can seem sketchy, and using AI may not make it any easier. There are many ways to use AI on dating apps, like touching up your profile or figuring out what not to say to a new connection. While singles surveyed say they’re OK with using AI for everyday productivity tasks, they don’t want AI meddling in their love lives, especially as a romantic partner.

Most Singles Don’t Want Someone Interested in an AI Mate

AI is interfering more in personal relationships than in the past. Imagine going to ChatGPT to decide who is right in an argument with your spouse. Or even date a robot. This isn’t that far-fetched, given that there are AI applications that resemble personal relationships. Some even have avatars.

Match Group’s investigation revealed that dating an AI robot is banned for singles – four to one. The survey found that only 12% of singles have tried companion apps in the past three months – mainly to try something new, not as a substitute for finding love. Most used them for boredom and entertainment (45%) as well as role play and simulation (43%). Fewer used AI to make a real connection (38%) or process emotions (26%).

“Dating is inherently human, and it’s no surprise that singles want their experience to remain grounded in real interaction between real people,” said Chine Mmegwa, head of corporate development at Match Group, in an email to CNET.

Instead of relying on bots, singles get advice from friends and family (60% respectively), while only 20% use AI. That’s not surprising, considering a study published in March in the journal Science, which found that AI is more likely to agree with you and less likely to help you in areas like repairing relationships. The study shows that you could instead rely more on AI.

Relationship therapist Michael Salas agrees that it’s best to seek advice from family and friends rather than AI. Salas tested the use of AI on a complicated situation he was having with a friend, and the robot’s response might surprise you.

“It told me that this friend clearly didn’t care about me. Verbatim, he told me this,” Salas says. “It wasn’t even something I questioned, and I know it was wrong. When I told him that, he immediately corrected course, told me I was right, and moved on to a new framework. That’s not wisdom.”

Salas advises being careful when using AI in dating. “I think you really need to be careful because this will take liberties and give incorrect or unwarranted advice. Save that for the real people who know you. Ask them instead.” Salas instead recommends using AI to edit and generate ideas, such as to show someone you care, not to replace humans.

Using AI for dating has limits

Match found that most (74%) singles aged 18-39 use AI tools, such as ChatGPTregularly. And 69% use AI for productivity tasks such as summarizing, problem solving and write content. Most find their use of AI positive across multiple use cases. But not when it comes to finding love.

There are a few exceptions. More than half (64%) believe AI helps them find love, including continuing a conversation (27%), creating a stronger profile (27%), starting a conversation (26%), and planning a date (27%). Some AI features already rely on these preferences, like Tinder’s AI-based matching that suggests connections based on your interests and camera roll (if you allow it). And there are date planning apps, like Date Idea Generator and My Spicy Vanilla. And Hinge launched Convo Starters to take the pressure off sending the first message.

It all still comes down to how easy singles feel about using AI to facilitate matchmaking. According to Match Group’s survey results, the percentage of AI users remains less than half in many use cases, making it clear that most people don’t want bots meddling in their love lives. Overall, Mmegwa said AI can be used to make dating safer and improve outcomes, but not without trust, authenticity and connection to the real world.

Mmegwa said AI affects trust and safety through features such as “Face Check” to ensure people are real and “Are you sure?” so that interactions are respectful.

“This should help people connect better in the real world. We are focused on using AI to help daters know each other better, generate better matches and improve results throughout the experience,” Mmegwa said. “But the user should still feel like they are in control. AI should not overload connection or remove personal choice and action.”

Dashia is the consumer news editor for CNET. She specializes in data-driven analysis and news at the intersection of technology, personal finance and consumer sentiment. Dashia researches economic changes and everyday challenges to help readers make informed decisions, and she covers a range of topics including technology, security, energy and money. Dashia graduated from the University of South Carolina with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. She loves cooking, teaching spinning, and spending time with her family. See full bio