• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’

2

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

3

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure

1

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’

2

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

3

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
LifestyleDating apps

Dating apps are banking on AI to win over Gen Z—but the sparks aren’t flying, survey finds

Sydney Lake
By
Sydney Lake
Sydney Lake
Associate Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
Sydney Lake
By
Sydney Lake
Sydney Lake
Associate Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 17, 2025, 7:05 AM ET
Gen Z is just not that into dating apps.
Gen Z is just not that into dating apps.Getty Images
  • Gen Z has become increasingly skeptical of dating apps. Despite attempts by Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble to win back younger users with AI-powered features like conversation prompts and profile help, a Bloomberg survey shows Gen Z is largely unimpressed.

While dating apps were all the millennial rage just a few years ago, Gen Z has been quite skeptical about finding a romantic partner online. 

Recommended Video

Even the CEO of Match Group, a major dating-app conglomerate, has admitted as much.

“The high-pressure kind of product offering of looking at a photo and judging it—that is cringy for a lot of Gen Z people,” Spencer Rascoff, the newly minted CEO of Match Group that houses Tinder, Match.com, OkCupid, Hinge, and Plenty of Fish, recently told The Wall Street Journal. 

In an attempt to capture more young users, dating apps like Hinge, Tinder, and Bumble have recently started introducing AI-powered features to help solve some of the complaints users have had about the apps. This includes features like helping prompt users when creating their profile or crafting conversation starters. 

But those efforts aren’t impressing Gen Z. Bloomberg Intelligence recently conducted a survey of about 1,000 dating app users, and nearly 50% of respondents said AI didn’t move the needle for them in terms of making a profile or having conversations with matches. 

And while Gen Z is the youngest generation to enter adulthood during the AI revolution, they’re actually more uncomfortable with using AI to draft profile prompts, respond to messages, and modify pictures, survey results showed. 

What dating apps are doing with AI

While the report didn’t explicitly name certain dating-app companies, several have made public their focus on AI features. In January, Hinge announced its AI-powered “Prompt Feedback” feature that “nudges” users to improve their responses. 

“With Prompt Feedback, we’re intentionally leveraging AI to provide personalized coaching during a key moment for daters—making a great first impression on their profiles,” Justin McLeod, Hinge founder and CEO, said in a statement.

Bumble, another major dating-app company founded and run by Whitney Wolfe Herd, also uses AI for several of its features like AI Photo Picker and AI-powered conversation prompts. It also uses AI for safety features that help identify and remove fake profiles, scams, and spam as well as blurring out explicit images. 

While safety features are undoubtedly helpful and a positive step forward for making dating apps more inviting, AI features won’t necessarily save the industry.

Dating apps “can try to come up with more ways to [allow] people to assess chemistry, but unless they are really pushing people to meet in real life by maybe creating more in-person activations and events where people can assess, ‘Oh, is there a vibe here?’ I don’t know that they will make the comeback to being as big as they once were,” Ilana Dunn, dating coach and podcast host of Seeing Other People, recently told Fortune.

Meanwhile, the Bloomberg survey findings also suggest the tools dating apps have introduced thus far just may not be addressing users’ needs, Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Nicole D’Souza wrote in the report. Therefore, this could continue to hurt dating apps’ margins. 

Bumble’s first-quarter revenue dropped nearly 8% year-over-year while Tinder’s fell 3%. Hinge, however, appears to be bucking that trend, reporting a 23% jump in Q1 revenue compared to last year. But Rascoff also announced in May he cut 13% of staff, which he said would save the company roughly $100 million. 

Bumble also recently laid off 30% of its workforce. This came shortly after Wolfe Herd had returned to Bumble in March as CEO after a hiatus. Herd addressed the pitfalls of dating apps with Fortune’s MPW Editor Emma Hinchliffe upon her return. 

Dating apps “are rooted in rejection and judgment,” Herd said. “You are judging people, and they are judging you. You’re being rejected, and you’re rejecting. These are not healthy dynamics.”

Now, Bumble is set on growing its user base again.

“Our focus now is on moving forward in a way that strengthens our core business, continues to serve our members effectively, and positions us for future growth,” a Bumble spokesperson told Fortune at the time of the layoffs. 

About the Author
Sydney Lake
By Sydney LakeAssociate Editor
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Sydney Lake is an associate editor at Fortune, where she writes and edits news for the publication's global news desk.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Lifestyle

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Lifestyle

crfb
Economynational debt
Interest on the national debt is eating a record 19% of federal revenue — and watchdog warns it will get worse
By Nick LichtenbergMay 27, 2026
8 hours ago
‘PTO-maxxing’ is the summer hack turning 15 vacation days into 49 days off
SuccessVacation
‘PTO-maxxing’ is the summer hack turning 15 vacation days into 49 days off
By Sydney LakeMay 27, 2026
9 hours ago
AI is changing the hospitality industry, and it’s changing how you stay in hotels
Future of WorkHospitality
AI is changing the hospitality industry, and it’s changing how you stay in hotels
By Catherina GioinoMay 27, 2026
10 hours ago
Hilary Duff with commencement regalia
SuccessCareers
Despite having a $25 million net worth, Hilary Duff thinks saying yes too much to opportunities actually hurt her career
By Preston ForeMay 27, 2026
10 hours ago
new
Big TechObituary
Donald Newhouse saw the internet coming in 2004. His newspapers still weren’t ready
By Scott Mayerowitz and The Associated PressMay 27, 2026
11 hours ago
Legion Pulse Pre-Workout Review (2026): Expert Tested
HealthDietary Supplements
Legion Pulse Pre-Workout Review (2026): Expert Tested
By Emily PharesMay 27, 2026
11 hours ago

Most Popular

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’
Success
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’
By Preston ForeMay 26, 2026
1 day ago
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
6 days ago
The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
Travel & Leisure
The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
By Catherina GioinoMay 25, 2026
3 days ago
Sam Altman and Dario Amodei are both walking back their AI jobs apocalypse prophecies as they eye blockbuster IPOs
AI
Sam Altman and Dario Amodei are both walking back their AI jobs apocalypse prophecies as they eye blockbuster IPOs
By Sasha RogelbergMay 26, 2026
1 day ago
Techlash grows in education: 'My daughter went to middle school and was sent home with a screen addiction in her backpack'
North America
Techlash grows in education: 'My daughter went to middle school and was sent home with a screen addiction in her backpack'
By Jocelyn Gecker and The Associated PressMay 26, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of May 27, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 27, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 27, 2026
12 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.