NPR – Dating apps are seeing a steady decline in paying users, with Match Group and Bumble both reporting subscriber losses. Boston University researcher Kathryn Coduto attributes the drop to technology fatigue, subscription costs and declining interest in swipe-based dating, particularly among Gen Z and millennials. Many users still keep free apps but increasingly prefer speed dating, running clubs and other interest-based events that guarantee face-to-face interaction. She said complaints such as ghosting and mismatched intentions are not unique to dating apps and also happen when people meet offline.
WIRED – Bumble has ended its women-first rule, allowing men to initiate conversations. Bumble said 66% of surveyed women preferred men to message first and that testing increased chat initiation. However, some users fear the change will bring more unwanted messages and turn Bumble into another version of Tinder. The decision suggests that Bumble’s original women-first identity had become a commercial disadvantage as the company struggles to remain competitive and profitable.
THE GUARDIAN – Bumble has removed its requirement for women to initiate conversations and is preparing to replace swiping. The company is developing an AI matchmaking assistant called Bee, while Tinder is testing its AI-powered Chemistry system and Grindr is becoming an “AI-first” platform. Startups including Fate are also replacing profile browsing with AI-led matching. Researchers argue that AI may not address users’ underlying concerns about poor matches, monetization practices, privacy and the growing use of AI communication. They suggest that better moderation, clearer policies and greater user control could be more effective than adding AI to the existing dating-app model.
FORTUNE – Dating apps are rethinking swiping as declining user numbers and frustration among Gen Z put pressure on the established model. Match Group’s paying users fell 6% to 13.3M, Tinder’s MAU dropped 7%, and Bumble’s paying users declined 16.4% to 3.2M. Researchers argue that swiping keeps users engaged but often produces burnout, unanswered messages, and conversations that never become dates. Companies are therefore focusing on fewer, more relevant matches and offline experiences. Bumble is testing Plans, an app for curated events, while Tinder expects to expand its Events feature from 10 cities to 75 by the end of 2026. Tinder said 71% of eligible users aged 18 to 24 used Events during its LA pilot, with more than half returning the following week.
TECH CRUNCH – Bumble has ended its women-message-first rule, a major shift from the principle on which it built its brand in 2014. Either person can now start a conversation, and matches have 72 hours to respond instead of 24. CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd described the update as an evolution rather than a retreat from the company’s original mission. The company said 66% of women surveyed preferred men to message first. Bumble began relaxing the rule in 2024 with Opening Moves, a feature that allowed women to set a question on their profile that a man could answer. The latest change comes as the company tries to revive its struggling business.
BUMBLE – Bumble’s Q2 revenue fell 15% to $21M, while paying users dropped 16% to 3.2M. The company recorded a $128M net loss, including a $169M impairment charge. Adjusted EBITDA declined to $73M. Bumble is investing in new matching algorithms, conversation tools, in-person dating features, and group experiences as part of a wider product overhaul.
WALL STREET JOURNAL – New AI dating apps are offering alternatives to swiping. Amata, a chatbot-based matchmaking app, interviews users and charges about $20 to arrange a date, while Known, an AI matchmaking service supported by human matchmakers, recommends compatible partners. Volar, a now-closed AI dating app, previously tested virtual versions of users that went on simulated dates for them. Established platforms are also experimenting with AI: Grindr is developing its gAI assistant, Bumble is testing its Bee matchmaker, and Tinder and Hinge are introducing tools that help users improve profiles and start conversations.
LAUREN SHARP – Eliza was a simple chatbot created in the 1960s to imitate a therapist. Although it understood nothing, users shared private information and believed it empathised with them. Its creator, Joseph Weizenbaum, warned that people could easily mistake a computer’s responses for genuine intelligence. This became known as the ELIZA effect. Today’s AI is far more convincing. Replika users reported distress when intimate features were removed, while some users viewed GPT-4o as a friend or romantic partner. Dating-app users may be especially vulnerable. An AI matchmaker could comfort them after rejection, remember personal conversations, and provide unlimited attention. Some users may eventually feel closer to the AI than to the people it recommends. AI may still help lonely or socially anxious users. However, agreeable chatbots could also create unrealistic expectations of human relationships, which involve disagreement and compromise. Bumble is testing Bee, an AI matchmaker that learns about users and recommends partners. Tinder’s Chemistry feature asks personal questions and analyses photos, while Learning Mode adjusts recommendations based on behaviour. Overtone, founded by Hinge founder Justin McLeod, uses voice conversations to select a small number of introductions.
THE NEXT WEB – AI is increasingly writing dating conversations, and dating apps aren’t stopping it. A Match Group/Kinsey Institute report found that 26% of U.S. adults and 49% of Gen Z daters have used AI for dating help, from writing messages to creating profiles. Match CEO Spencer Rascoff said there is little the company can do about off-platform AI coaching, while Hinge and Bumble have no policies banning AI-generated messages. As AI-written conversations become more common, users are raising concerns that matches may be interacting with chatbot-generated personalities rather than the people themselves.
OPW – Lucille McCart has joined AI matchmaking startup Overtone as Head of Communications, following nearly seven years at Bumble where she held senior communications and marketing leadership roles across Australia, APAC and globally. Overtone is a voice- and AI-powered matchmaking service focused on curated introductions rather than swiping. Announcing the move on LinkedIn, McCart highlighted the company’s mission, quoting McLeod: “Who we choose to build a life with shapes our happiness more than almost anything else. That choice is too important to be left to chance, and too personal to be left to a swipe.”
