Hinge CEO Talks AI as the Future of Dating
Contributed by: kellyseal on Wednesday, January 03 2024 @ 10:41 am
Last modified on Wednesday, January 03 2024 @ 10:47 am
The founder of Hinge, the fastest-growing app in parent company Match Group’s portfolio, says AI will change the game for dating apps.
McLeod spoke to the Financial Times about a range of topics, including Hinge’s success and where he sees it going, and the advances with generative AI. He noted that the key with AI and dating apps is continually “dialing up the sophistication of our matching algorithms” so that it continues learning about the nuances of preferences and delivering better results, according to The Financial Times.
“Every single time someone goes on a great date, we can look at all the information that led up to it, “ McLeod told the Times[*1] . “Everything from their profile information to their behavior on the app, to how many matches they had at the time that they met.”
People are using AI to craft better profiles and send messages, as well as to enhance their photos. And even though people say they would prefer “genuine” matches, studies show that they actually choose the AI-enhanced profiles over the untouched ones. Match Group, Grindr and Bumble are investing a lot of resources into incorporating AI onto their platforms, with Grindr already adding an AI assistant to act as a “virtual wingman” for its users.
Hinge is ahead of the game on deep learning from its users. It already engages with its users for feedback on their dates so developers can study patterns in what leads to good outcomes. As McLeod said to Financial Times: “…we actually have the information that we need to figure out: what are the components that lead to a good date? And how do we look for those, when we’re trying to match people up?”
He also notes all of the detail and thought that go into profile development, the questions the app asks its users, and other valuable information that will help deliver even better matches with the use of AI. McLeod also adds that the dating app industry will be going through another development evolution akin to 2012 or 2013, when they really rose to popularity. And AI will play a huge role.
When asked how the app would handle a potential increase in bots, thanks to AI-generated profile images and bios which have already started cropping up, and Hinge is looking at its capability to identify AI-generated profiles, in addition to checking things like IP addresses and phone numbers.
“AI is the next disruptive technology after mobile that’s really going to change the game,” said McLeod.
For more on this dating service, check out our Hinge review.