The founder of a popular dating app says the future of dating could be filled with digital, artificial intelligence-powered personas setting up each other.
Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd spoke Thursday at the Bloomberg Tech Summit in San Francisco, where the company explores how AI can help and empower women seeking connection. He said he is doing so.
The specific use of AI mentioned by Hurd has gained attention online, but not everyone liked the idea. Hurd proposed a scenario where singles could use his AI dating concierge as their stand-in when contacting potential partners online.
“There is a world where your dating concierge can date other dating concierges for you…so you don’t have to talk to 600 people,” she said during the summit.
AI-powered dating assistants, such as profile enhancers like YourMove.AI and simulated chatbots like Volar, have been gaining more attention lately. The rise of generative AI, which can learn to imitate certain people, has sparked much speculation about how it could be used in the love sector, especially as some people become disillusioned with and abandon dating apps. Masu.
There is some healthy skepticism about whether AI is the solution.A clip of Hurd at the Bloomberg Summit has been obtained Over 10 million views on X, where people expressed misgivings about the idea of an AI-based dating scene. Some compared it to an episode of the Netflix series “Black Mirror,” which explores dystopian uses of technology.
Some felt that the use of AI in dating could exacerbate the feelings of isolation and loneliness that people have felt in recent years.
Hurd said he hopes to use AI to teach people how to date better and “build healthier, more equitable relationships.” She suggested that an AI dating concierge could help people solve their dating problems and provide tips for communicating with new partners.
A Bumble spokesperson reiterated this sentiment in an email to NBC News. A spokesperson said the company “sees a future where AI continues to foster positive relationships.”
“Bumble is a safe, kind and authentic place to make connections, helping people meet online and then connect offline,” a spokesperson said.
The spokesperson also said Bumble is building several AI-powered features into its app, including a “For You” match recommendation page, a spam profile detector, and an indecent image blocker.
Hurd also shared some insight into the direction Bumble is headed following its recent rebrand.
“We won't be a dating app in a few years,” she said. “Dating will be a factor, but we'll be a platform for real relationships. This is a place where you can meet the people you want to meet. Hiking buddies, mahjong buddies, whatever you're looking for.”