BUSINESS INSIDER – Dating apps including Tinder, Hinge, Bumble, and Grindr are investing tens of millions of dollars in AI-powered matchmaking to counter swipe fatigue, declining engagement, and falling paid-user numbers. Match Group’s stock is down ~75% over five years and its paying users fell 5% YOY, while Bumble’s share price is down ~50% this year, it laid off 30% of staff, and paying users dropped 18%. The companies are deploying generative AI for matchmaking, profile creation, flirting, and safety, with Tinder testing its Chemistry feature and Grindr launching AI-driven recommendation feeds. Analysts say AI alone cannot revive unpopular products. At the same time, AI-first startups are raising capital and entering the market, including Sitch, which has raised $9M and charges $90 for three matches, alongside new apps such as Known, Ditto, and Amata, while Facebook has introduced an AI dating assistant.
