Rise of the AI wingman, er, person: 26% of US singles now use AI for dating assistance

A recent survey reveals that 26% of single U.S. adults—and nearly half of Gen Z—are now using artificial intelligence to enhance their dating lives, from crafting messages to selecting photos. This surge in AI-assisted romance comes as traditional dating apps face declining revenue and user fatigue, potentially forcing the industry toward a fundamental transformation that could paradoxically drive people back to in-person connections.

What you should know: AI is becoming the digital wingperson many singles didn’t realize they needed, with users leveraging the technology across multiple aspects of online dating.

• People are using AI to select attractive photos, write clever bios, craft flirtatious opening lines, and even analyze conversations to gauge romantic interest.
• The trend is particularly pronounced among younger users, with 49% of Gen Z turning to AI for dating assistance compared to 26% of all single adults.
• Most people using AI for dating likely aren’t disclosing this to potential partners, raising questions about authenticity and transparency.

The research findings: A controlled experiment revealed that AI-generated dating messages may actually be more effective than human-written ones, challenging assumptions about authenticity in digital romance.

• Researchers from Arizona State University randomly assigned participants to write date request messages either on their own, using AI, or by modifying AI-generated content.
• While participants rated all messages similarly regardless of source, external judges consistently rated AI messages as more effective than human-written ones.
• The researchers termed this phenomenon the “Cyrano effect,” drawing parallels to the classic play where Cyrano writes love letters for his friend Christian to pass off as his own.

Why this matters: The integration of AI into dating could either solve longstanding problems with dating apps or create new challenges around deception and misrepresentation.

• Dating apps are already struggling with user burnout and falling revenue, suggesting the industry has reached a saturation point that demands innovation.
• AI-driven matchmaking could potentially fix imperfect algorithms that currently lead to “endless swiping, awkward conversations, and dead-end first dates.”
• However, the technology could make deception and catfishing even harder to detect, potentially undermining trust in digital dating platforms.

The big picture: Rather than replacing human connections, the most compelling vision involves AI automating tedious aspects of dating so people can focus on genuine relationship-building.

• Advanced AI could learn to recognize true compatibility beyond surface-level matching, addressing fundamental flaws in current dating app algorithms.
• The potential for AI-enabled misrepresentation may actually drive people toward face-to-face meetings as a way to verify authenticity.
• This technological advancement could paradoxically usher in a return to traditional, in-person dating approaches.