BENZINGA – Grindr CEO George Arison says Gen Z isn’t abandoning dating but is being priced out by over-monetized apps that make free versions nearly unusable. He stressed that Grindr remains popular with young users because its free product is “extremely robust,” unlike competitors that limit messaging and features. Arison noted young people also use free alternatives like Instagram to connect.
See full article at Benzinga
KTVU – Ditto AI is a new dating service that uses AI to pick matches, schedule the time and place, and get people straight to an in-person date. No swiping and no pre-chat. It is live at UC San Diego, UC Berkeley, and USC with ~25K users, reporting a 69% match rate and over half of users going on real dates. The service is free for now, plans to add fees later, and positions itself as a faster, IRL-first alternative to traditional dating apps.
See full article at KTVU
NEWSBYTES – Tinder has launched Face Check in India, a feature that asks users to take a short video selfie to confirm their profile photos. Verified users receive a blue Photo Verified badge, helping reduce fake profiles and scams. Match Group’s trust and safety head Yoel Roth said the tool comes at a time when online authenticity is critical. Tinder’s own research shows half of Indian daters prefer meeting in public and over a third use video calls before meeting, highlighting that safety is now as important as chemistry.
See full article at NewsBytes
NEWS PATROLLING – Bharat Matrimony has invested $500k in Bangalore startup Ask My Guru, bringing its total funding to $1.72M. Ask My Guru is building an AI-powered Vedic astrology platform that enhances traditional horoscope matching with deeper compatibility analysis. The partnership aims to integrate AI astrology into Bharat Matrimony’s services, combining cultural traditions with modern technology.
See full article at News Patrolling
FAST COMPANY – Elite matchmaking firm Three Day Rule (where services can cost up to $100K) is launching Tai, an AI-powered matchmaking app. Unlike dating apps that leave users swiping, Tai aims to replicate the work of human matchmakers by using 15 years of client data, post-date feedback, and AI models to recommend partners and provide coaching. The app offers a free tier (limited chats with Tai and matches) and a $99/month premium plan with guaranteed introductions. CEO Adam Cohen-Aslatei argues matchmaking succeeds 70–80% of the time versus 9–11% for dating apps, and the AI app is meant to make the model more affordable and accessible.
See full article at Fast Company
PR NEWSWIRE – Certified Love Strategist, global speaker, and Founder Shay Levister, has launched HerPocket Coach, an AI-powered coaching app for high-achieving women who want to improve how they approach relationships. The app focuses on personal growth and dating skills through guided exercises, journaling, meditation playlists, and virtual coaching, with the aim of helping women build healthier, more intentional relationships.
See full article at PR Newswire
OPW – Edition 45 of the LTR (Love, Tech, Relationships) online experience will be on Wednesday, October 22nd, at 12 pm (noon) EST (New York time).
In this edition, Mark Brooks will interview Karima Ben Abdelmalek, CEO and president of happn, to discuss HelloGroup’s acquisition of happn. The conversation will cover how the companies will work together, the product roadmap and market priorities, and what this means for users. After the interview, Mark will present Industry Trends and Opportunities for Growth, including market outlook, the role of AI in product and safety, and upcoming regulations.
If you hold a full-time leadership role at an online dating company, you are welcome to join LTR events for free.
Why attend LTR?
🏠 Flexible: Attend from anywhere – no travel required.
⏰ Convenient: Live session. 90 minutes.
💰 Free: No registration fees.
See the LTR Edition 45 speakers and invite page here.
Email mark@courtlandbrooks.com to RSVP.
SWLONDONER – Sonder is a free London dating app that launched in June 2025. Profiles are built as personal canvases, essentially mood boards that show interests, and the app matches people based on similarities between those canvases. There are no user rankings or paid subscriptions, and the system aims to be non-discriminatory. The matching improves when a profile includes more detail. The team is running regular events around the city, and a friendship mode is planned for late October.
See full article at SWLondoner
PRESS RELEASE – Loneliness is on the rise, particularly among young adults and those in their fifties. Single parents feel it most, with ~25% reporting moderate to extreme loneliness. Social media makes it worse for the young; ~34% feel lonelier after seeing party, couple, or travel posts, and breakups hit them harder than older adults. Newly single people often feel awkward around couples, but this feeling typically eases with time.
POCIT – Launched in September 2025 by Princeton graduate Dayo Abeeb, HUE is a dating and social app built specifically for people of color. The platform allows users to filter by ~70 ethnicities, with two key features: Hue Dating for romantic matches and Hue Community for friendships and group chats. Abeeb created HUE after noticing friends struggling to find partners who shared their cultural backgrounds, an issue made worse by mainstream dating apps, where people of color, especially Black women, face bias and lower engagement rates. HUE aims to offer a more inclusive space. So far, the app has 3K users.
See full article at POCIT