by Yes, it falls within the realm of deception for people to pass off AI-generated jargon as their own, but that’s why creating a disclosure standard is important. And I imagine that as the data gets more inventive with its prompts and the content gets more visually driven, it becomes clearer what has been channeled by an AI wingman. And I want to be clear that using an AI to perfect your profile is the same as people letting all their friends approve their profile, except one option gives you more privacy and less hassle.
My vision for dating doesn’t just encourage interaction; I also believe that AI should be used to speed up the landing of an in-person meeting. Countless people turn to dating apps when they’re bored, unintentionally blocking those who want to meet up that night. Although many apps use software to enhance the matching process, they need to take it to the next level to give the user control over it in nuanced detail.
Imagine being able to instruct an in-app AI wingman to swipe for you, specifying non-negotiable things like what types of relationships you’re open to and what interests you want to prioritize, even if you find one after matching want to request an appointment. Better than someone who also “likes” you would get a message saying, “You’re both open for a personal date this weekend.” It would make it that much easier to book a last-minute Valentine’s Day date find to get over your ex.
People who don’t like the idea of AI playing matchmaker should ask themselves: What’s most important about meeting someone you might want to spend the rest of your life with, or who tricked you? I’m not saying you shouldn’t have the ability to take the reins when you want. Nobody prevents you from meeting partners outside of this sphere.
A common fear when implementing AI in dating apps is that it will further dehumanize them to the point of no going back. But I think we need to give ourselves – and our humanity – a little more credit that a machine can’t fall in love better than we can. Isn’t that a dance that requires two beating hearts?
The future of dating is already on our doorstep, and many people are already ready to open the door when the possibility of love is on the other side. According to the OkCupid survey, 36 percent of the 30,000 users polled said they would stop talking to someone who admitted to first communicating with them via an AI-powered bot, but interestingly, 46 percent of them weren’t sure and 18 percent said yes.
It is the human instinct to rebel against what is feared or unpredictable, and nothing has terrified or confused people more than the looming impact of AI on their lives. But again, it’s not unlike the initial skepticism and gradual acceptance of most of what ultimately defines society. The internet was once branded as a trend. Oral sex used to be considered taboo by our parents.
Even if the AI manages to make dating fun again by providing a more seamless experience (pun intended), it won’t erase the nuances of real-life dating. As the story goes, you must be willing to kiss frogs to find your prince or princess. But at least you’ll skip dragging your feet through the swamp.
