AI In Online Dating in 2026

Summary: As we look ahead to 2026, one thing looms large in our society; artificial intelligence and its potential impact on our lives. The online dating culture has shifted over the years in large part due to evolving technology. But the technology designed to offer numerous good quality connections, has often fallen short. Now, dating app developers hope AI will come to the rescue.

I’ve often said that online dating can be challenging, frustrating and not for the faint of heart. Romance scams, ghosting, catfishing, love bombing, too many red flags to count, and all the hours spent searching for a good match can leave one completely demoralized. So perhaps it’s no wonder that more and more online daters say they are feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.

Online Dating Burnout

According to a recent survey by Forbes magazine, online dating burnout and fatigue is taking a toll on those looking for a connection, whether it be for casual or a long-term relationship.  In a survey of 1,000 online daters who’ve used dating apps within the past year a whopping 78% said they’ve experienced online dating app burnout.

As I wrote in my memoir, Taking The Plunge, I was determined to find love again after my divorce. It took me years to find my happily ever after. In my online dating experience, I found myself being disappointed time and again by those who, for one reason or another, weren’t interested in a serious relationship.

So, I was surprised to learn that these days more and more people do want to develop a serious relationship. Nearly half of the Forbes survey respondents said they were looking for a long-term connection. But online dating difficulties are causing more people, especially women, to lose hope of finding the right person. 

Withdrawal From Dating

Another survey, this one by MyIQ, has found that more and more women are emotionally withdrawing from dating. In the survey of more than 2,400 woman, 74%, said they’ve experienced romantic uncertainty, with half saying they’ve emotionally withdrawn from dating. 

In the survey, women complained about a lack of high-quality matches, while many men complained about not getting enough matches sent their way. Ghosting was more prevalent among women, with 68-percent saying they’ve been ghosted, compared to only 41-percent of men.

AI Dating Shift

The rise in dissatisfaction with online dating has not been lost on those who run the big dating platforms. That’s why they are investing millions of dollars in AI development to make the online dating process easier, more meaningful, and safer.

According to Business Insider, big players such as Hinge, Tinder, Grindr and Bumble are using AI to better personalize the process by improving profile creation and flirting.  Tinder is testing a new feature using AI called “Chemistry.”  With the user’s permission, the new feature will analyze their camera photos and ask interactive questions to get to know the user better, all with the goal of finding better matches.  Sounds a little invasive to me, so it’ll be interesting to see if it takes off.

Several new startups are hoping to use AI to capitalize on the dissatisfaction with online dating by changing up how the process works.  One app called Sitch bills itself as the AI dating app that provides users with an AI matchmaker that will curate introductions, like a concierge, which guides you through the process and gives you advice along the way. The service is only available in major cities right now and has gotten mixed reviews, with one of the main concerns being the price.  Users pay a minimum of $90 for three setups .

AI & DATING SAFETY

One feature, however, that I found extremely attractive was Sitch’s safety feature. It requires users to submit selfies, which are used to verify identities, making sure the user matches his or her profile photo. 

The dating site, Bumble, uses the same AI-driven technology, which they call the “Deception Detector.”  Bumble claims it helps identify spam, scams, and fake profiles, three of the biggest challenges I encountered during my years of online dating.

Another app takes online safety to a wider level. Faceproof.ai is an online identity verification platform launched in the U.S. in December 2025, promising to “stop the scammers and catfishers at the digital door.” Through the Faceproof app, users can request verification by using its facial recognition technology. Its slogan is “Verify. Trust. Connect.” with the platform saying not only can it be used to detect romance scammers but can also be used to detect scammers and fraudsters in business and shopping.

With the rise of AI technology so are the fears that AI could lead to massive jobs losses and even pose an existential threat to humanity.  But on the flip side there are hopes that AI has the potential to increase productivity and economic growth, and in the world of online dating, it’s my hope that AI can help make online dating safer, and that’s a good thing.