LOS ANGELES TIMES – Tinder is expanding its in-person singles events following a successful LA pilot, adding nine cities across the US and Europe and planning to reach another 16 markets by September. Events include rooftop yoga, hikes and brewery meetups organized with existing local providers, with users able to see interested attendees and connect after an event. Tinder has held ~60 events in Los Angeles, and 71% of users aged 18 to 24 engaged with the events tab.
LOS ANGELES TIMES – Known is an AI dating app that replaces swiping with a 15-minute AI voice interview about a user’s upbringing, personality, past relationships and dating goals before recommending matches. One user said the experience was more efficient than traditional dating apps but felt AI could not capture the human side of dating. Founded in 2025 by CEO Celeste Amadon, Known charges users per date. The company has recently hosted an AI-matched dating event in San Francisco. The startup has raised ~$10M and plans to expand to San Diego in July. The growing interest in AI-powered dating also includes former Hinge CEO Justin McLeod, who is developing a new AI dating app called Overtone.
LOS ANGELES TIMES – Grindr is rolling out an AI-powered premium tier focused on faster, more personalized matching, with features like curated daily matches, compatibility insights, and chat summaries, while also expanding AI across safety, inbox prioritization, and search; the move is part of a broader shift to become an AI-first company, as competitors like Bumble and Tinder push similar AI-driven tools to attract users.
LOS ANGELES TIMES – UC Davis relationship researcher Paul Eastwick, author of Bonded by Evolution: The New Science of Love and Connection, argues dating is driven by compatibility and emotional attachment rather than looks, money, or fixed “mate value.” Instead of many quick app dates, people should broaden social circles and spend more time with fewer partners across different activities. His research finds men and women want largely the same qualities – support and security – and connection forms through repeated interaction, not rapid filtering.
LOS ANGELES TIMES – Smriti Mundhra, the executive producer of the Netflix show “Indian Matchmaking,” has spearheaded another matchmaking series focusing on the Muslim American community. Patti Novak and Patti Stanger pioneered the matchmaker series in “Confessions of a Matchmaker” in 2007, and Stanger was “The Millionaire Matchmaker” in 2008, running for 8 seasons. In April 2024, Stanger appeared in a new series, “Patti Stanger: The Matchmaker.” Adam Cohen-Aslatei, the CEO of Three Day Rule, said the shows dive into relationships and dating and teach viewers how to approach their dating lives in a more productive way. Lox Club is a “members club for Jewish people with ridiculously high standards,” joined the matchmaking space in May 2024. Stanger said since COVID she noticed a shift in more women turning to matchmaking services, which used to be solicited primarily by men. She added that her business is “on fire” right now. Stanger’s packages start at $50k, and Three Day Rule starts at $5,900.
by Kaitlyn Huamani
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Mark Brooks: I believe in matchmaking and bought Matchmaker.com. Online dating warms people up to the idea of spending money to get help. Matchmaking picks up where the dating industry leaves off, and provides support for pre-date preparation and post-date feedback.
LOS ANGELES TIMES – With younger daters losing interest in traditional swipe-based apps, new Los Angeles startups like First Round's on Me, Summer, Lox Club, and Feeld are creating alternatives focused on in-person interactions and community-based dating. These apps move away from endless swiping, instead encouraging real-life meetups and targeting niche communities. While large platforms like Tinder and Bumble still lead the market, their slowed growth has allowed smaller apps to attract users looking for fresh dating experiences.
by Caroline Petrow-Cohen
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by Caroline Petrow-Cohen
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by Stephanie Yang & David Shen
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LOS ANGELES TIMES – The dating app Snack introduces AI chatbots to help users navigate the initial stages of online dating. Users train their chatbot avatars to answer questions and engage in conversation on their behalf. Snack's CEO, Kim Kaplan, believes this approach can reduce the stress and time spent on back-and-forth messaging. The article highlights some issues with the AI implementation, such as bots making plans without the user's knowledge. While some experts see potential in AI chatbots for improving dating app experiences, others question their ability to accurately represent users and foster authentic connections.
LOS ANGELES TIMES – Heterosexual couples in the U.S. are now more likely to meet a romantic partner online than via any other mode of connection. And during the pandemic, online dating reached new heights. On Snack, users upload TikTok-style videos instead of photos. The company is focusing on on-the-ground promotion at college campuses and currently has the most users in California, Texas, Florida and New York. Schmooze, another dating app wooing Gen Z, is also organized around a form of digital content. Instead of people's profiles, users are greeted with a meme set against a colorful, cartoon-like backdrop, with the choice to swipe right for "like" and left for "don't like." Dating app called Iris is taking the opposite approach. Returning to the fundamentals of physical attraction, the app, which was launched in early 2020, has users train a machine-learning algorithm by swiping through three rounds of stock photos. It then recommends potential matches.
by Jaimie Ding
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