Research commissioned by Bloomberg Intelligence and conducted by Attest among nearly 1,000 US respondents in May 2025 found younger adults more uncomfortable than millennials with AI drafting profile descriptions, composing replies or altering photographs. The findings presented a challenge for dating companies investing in automated assistance to attract and retain users.
Subsequent studies have reinforced that distinction, although attitudes vary considerably depending on how the technology is used. Match Group, which owns Tinder, Hinge and other services, surveyed approximately 1,000 American singles aged 18 to 39 between 13 April and 8 May 2026. It found that 47% viewed AI negatively in romantic relationships, even as many recognised its practical benefits.
Around 64% could see AI helping with dating tasks, including improving profiles and initiating conversations. Yet two in five respondents said they would refuse to date somebody using an AI companion application. Among women aged 18 to 24, that proportion reached 51%, suggesting particularly strong reservations about relationships involving virtual partners.
The figures distinguish tools that support communication from applications intended to simulate companionship. They also indicate that familiarity with AI does not necessarily translate into approval of its involvement in romantic exchanges. Match Group found 74% of respondents used ChatGPT, demonstrating substantial exposure to generative technology outside dating.
A separate 2026 Singles in America study, conducted by the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University, found that 67% of Gen Z singles had used AI in dating, compared with 46% of millennials. Across all generations, 39% reported using it for purposes such as communication assistance, finding matches or generating message ideas.
The institute surveyed approximately 5,000 US singles during March and April. Its findings showed that 34% considered AI alteration of dating profile photographs a dealbreaker, while 30% objected to somebody using AI for every conversation. Two-thirds said AI could not replace human connection, despite a substantial minority seeing possible benefits.
The differing results underline the importance of survey wording. Discomfort with AI-generated photographs or fully automated exchanges does not mean respondents reject every form of algorithmic assistance. Nor do figures covering all singles aged 18 to 39 describe Gen Z alone.
Hinge’s research offers another indication of conditional acceptance. The platform said in March that 52% of Gen Z daters who used AI consulted it to assess messages before sending them. The company characterised such use as seeking a second opinion rather than outsourcing the relationship itself.
Logan Ury, Hinge’s lead relationship scientist, said AI could help users overcome uncertainty, but their messages should still reflect their own personalities. The distinction matters for platforms trying to make conversations easier without leaving participants unsure whether they are communicating with another person or software.
Other industry research points to a sharper divide over dependence on automated advice. A survey of 3,500 Gen Z and millennial daters conducted by Hily found 64% of Gen Z respondents unwilling to date someone who regularly used AI, compared with 56% of millennials. Such findings measure stated preferences, rather than actual decisions made during dating.
For Match Group and rivals including Bumble, the challenge is commercially significant. Dating services are introducing AI features to assist with profiles, matching and conversations while competing for users whose willingness to pay depends partly on whether they believe the platforms improve their chances of meeting people.
Questions about transparency are equally important. AI-enhanced images may create expectations that cannot be met offline, while automatically generated messages can obscure how much effort or interest a prospective partner has personally invested. Those concerns differ from objections to conventional recommendation algorithms, which have long helped dating services organise potential matches.
The Kinsey Institute’s study also identified differences between men and women: 47% of male respondents had used AI in dating, against 30% of female respondents. Its sample covered unmarried adults who were not living with partners or otherwise in committed relationships. The findings therefore concern people actively outside established partnerships, rather than the population as a whole. The institute also examined attitudes towards marriage, financial pressures and family formation, allowing researchers to consider technology alongside other factors influencing relationship decisions among different generations and demographic groups.
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