I, in fact, a big flirt. I love everything about getting to know another person. The playful banter. The dopamine rush. The sexual subtlety and subtext of everything that is not said. Flirting, to me, remains one of the last human endeavors where people consciously try to find common ground. It’s pure possibility, pure magnetism. It’s also an art that can’t be faked, or—despite Silicon Valley’s best attempts—perfected by AI.

That, of course, hasn’t stopped Big Dating from going all out virtual intimacy this year, where the focus has shifted from endless swipes to AI-powered matchmaking. As the narrative about dating fatigue reaches new heights, the trend toward sincere connection is an overdue corrective to an industry that, over the past decade, has built itself on ruthless standards, maniacal ambition, and profit incentivesonly to realize that the answer is right in front of them all: You win by investing in people.

The integration of AI tools isn’t just about keeping up with the Joneses or leaning on new innovations (although it is is some of that). For once it goes without saying: Big Dating is seeking forgiveness for its sins.

Where dating apps used to conspire to keep users in one way or another, AI presents an opportunity to connect people faster and, perhaps, forever. This has led many companies to reconsider their user experience. According to a Pew Research Center study a few years ago, in the US, almost 60 percent of single adults said they are not currently looking for a relationship or casual date. And while we’re not exactly in a romantic recession—active users remain high; not to mention that Facebook Dating is a hidden hit among Gen Z—general user engagement with some apps, according to analytics firm Apptopia, has decreased by 7 percent year-to-year. (Yes, despite a strange attempt by a Belgian artist to match people based on their browser history.)

It’s not a crisis or anything of the sort—hundreds of millions of people are still swiping, scrolling, and like on a daily basis—Big Dating desperately needs to fix its reputation. AI seems to be the answer.

In October, Three Day Rulethe veteran matchmaking service, has launched an AI matchmaker-trained app called Tai that offers real-time coaching. Grindr, which aims to become the most complete global gayborhood by going “AI native,” uses tools from Anthropic and Amazonian in this wingman feature and chat summaries (although some users not happy about the broad adoption of the app in machine tech). Iris, Rizzand You are alive AI features have also been rolled out to help users navigate the early stages of speech.

In a year where everyone has Places called Love Island in the United States in the brain, those who wish turned, right-wing influencers campaigned for greater stake in the dating zeitgeistand virtual relationships are seeing record growth—as anecdotally divorce due to AI activities. (According to the report of TechCrunchthe AI ​​companion market has grown more than 96 percent since 2024.) Tinder, meanwhile, has undergone a refresh the brand and trying to attract more Gen Z users. “The biggest issue we are concerned about … is the mass creation of new accounts,” Yoel Roth, head of trust and safety for Match Group, told WIRED in October following the rollout of Tinder’s mandatory facial verification update.