Dating Apps Push AI Matches as Tinder Users Fall 7% and Bumble Payers Drop 21%
Updated
Updated · Los Angeles Times · Jun 28
Dating Apps Push AI Matches as Tinder Users Fall 7% and Bumble Payers Drop 21%
3 articles · Updated · Los Angeles Times · Jun 28
Summary
AI matchmaking is moving into the mainstream as major dating apps and startups pitch it as a fix for “swipe fatigue,” using tools that suggest better matches, write profiles and summarize chats.
User stagnation is helping drive the shift: Tinder’s monthly active users fell 7% year over year in March, while Bumble’s paying users dropped 21% to 3.2 million in the first quarter.
Startups are testing pricier models around that promise. Known charges per date after AI interviews and has raised about $10 million since 2025, while Grindr says some users are paying as much as $350 a month for its Edge tier.
Facebook Dating is taking a broader, free approach, saying more than 1 million people use its AI assistant daily in the U.S. and Canada out of 21.5 million daily users worldwide.
Users and executives still warn AI can distort photos, over-script conversations and miss real-world chemistry, underscoring the tension between efficiency and authenticity in online dating.