Nearly half of U.S. singles view AI negatively in dating contexts, but most accept AI tools that help with profiles and conversation—not robot relationships.

What happened

Match Group surveyed 1,000 people aged 18 to 39 and found that 47% of singles have a negative view of AI's use in romantic contexts. About 40% say they would refuse to date someone who uses an AI companion app, rising to 51% among women ages 18 to 24. However, 64% of respondents said they could see how AI might help them in their dating journey.

Why it matters

Dating apps across the industry—Bumble, Tinder, and Hinge among them—are rapidly introducing AI features. The survey reveals a key tension: users reject the idea of AI-mediated romance or dating bots, but they will use AI to improve their own dating profiles and keep conversations flowing. This means app developers who position AI as a replacement for human connection risk alienating their user base.

What to watch

Match's takeaway is direct: 'help with the hard parts, but hands off for the human parts.' Only 12% of 18- to 24-year-olds said they had used a companion app over the last three months, and only about a third of those users said they were seeking genuine connections with chatbots. The gap between skepticism and actual adoption suggests the market for AI companions in dating remains niche.