Singapore-made bot amble matchmakes strangers virtually

The Star

2 days ago

SINGAPORE: Undergraduate Mia, 26, has been chatting with potential dates on Telegram, but she has never seen their faces.It is only when they meet for their first date that she knows what they look like.
She is among thousands who have been using amble, a Singapore-made bot which operates much like a virtual matchmaker.
Introduced as a bot on Telegram – as @ambleprojectbot – in April 2023, amble now also has an app.
On amble, users start out completely anonymous from each other, and do not have any idea what the other person looks like.
This is in stark contrast to popular dating apps like Tinder, Hinge and Bumble, where details like a person's appearance, height and occupation are often made visible.
For Mia, this has been a great pull.
She told The Straits Times that her previous experience using Bumble made her feel as though she was 'a tomato on display at the Sunday Market'.
With looks out of the equation on amble, Mia said she has been able to better determine her compatibility with her matches.
'(A person's appearance) just isn't that high on my list in comparison with values or personality,' she said.
As the conversation between two users progresses, 'milestones' are unlocked and more is revealed about the parties. This can include fun facts about them or a picture of them – the latter, only if both users have chosen to share a photo.
Mia said she and her matches chose not to reveal what they look like, and instead went on 'fun, blind, meet-ups'. She has gone on two such meet-ups and said they were both enjoyable.
As the conversation progresses, 'milestones' are unlocked which reveal more about the person that users are chatting with.
'Not rushed, not transactional'
amble co-founder Alyssa Chua, 27, told ST she began experimenting with the idea of the bot in 2023 as she felt that conversations, particularly those on dating apps, were beginning to feel more fleeting than before.
'We swipe, we judge, we expect instant chemistry. If sparks don't fly in the first few seconds, we move on,' she said.
'And yet, when we do find something real... it's because of a conversation that made us pause, think, and see someone beyond the surface.'
Chua said she chose to name the bot 'amble', to reflect how she felt a conversation should feel.
'Not rushed, not transactional, but like taking a walk in the park with someone, one step at a time,' she said.
That sentiment has resonated with enough users for Chua and fellow co-founder Cayden Gwee, 27, to decide to release an app version of the bot in April.
Chua said there are now about 6,000 people using amble, both on Telegram and its app.
To help users find common ground, amble intermittently poses questions or prompts.
They can range from simple ones like whether they have unusual hobbies or talents, to ones that provoke deeper thought such as: 'Do you think there's any sort of scenario which makes it fair to reveal a secret?'
Mac Healy, 27, who began using amble in 2024, told ST the 'brainwork' needed to answer most questions has helped him strike up 'pretty good' conversations and led to meaningful matches and dates.
This was in comparison to popular dating apps, where conversations were 'the same... rinse-and-repeat', said the financial analyst.
'It's not like 'What's your favourite colour?' – I get sick hearing that every single time I enter a new talking phase... amble adds a good twist,' he added.
Users can also filter the people they will be matched with based on their intention – whether are looking for something romantic or platonic.
Users can filter the people they will be matched with based on their intention.
Chua said users have found all kinds of connections through amble.
'Some have met romantic partners – we've received very cute photos – while others have discovered shared passions with like-minded hobbyists,' she said.
But with the online dating scene increasingly filled with scammy AI-generated profiles and bots, how sure can users be that the person they are chatting with is real?
Chua said that on Telegram, bots – like amble – are not allowed to engage with other bots, as part of the messaging app's security measure to prevent potential abuse.
And on the amble app, every profile is verified through their e-mail and phone number. The phone numbers are then cross-checked against databases of fraudulent numbers to prevent abuse, added Chua.
AI is also used on the app to assess users' answers to questions set out by amble during onboarding.
'Behind the scenes, we use AI to evaluate these responses by looking for indicators of intent, sincerity, and alignment with the kind of meaningful conversations amble is built for,' said Chua.
'This helps us ensure that the people on the platform are real and genuinely here to connect.'
App not the end for Telegram bot
Chua said Telegram was chosen as the platform to first roll out amble as it gave the bot's creators the flexibility to test ideas, and without requiring users download something that was new.
Ryan, who wanted to be known by only one name, said he found it convenient that he did not have to download yet another app onto his phone.
'(It) definitely pulled me to using amble,' said the 29-year-old commercial pilot, who had been using the bot since early 2025.
Chua said Telegram also 'felt like a natural place for real conversations to happen'.
However, the messaging platform also limited what Chua and Gwee could do with amble.
For example, the bot is only able to let users speak to one match at a time.
'With an app, we are able to introduce concurrent matches, letting people explore multiple connections at once,' said Chua.
And while users can only experience a simple chat interface on Telegram, an app allows for custom interfaces that could stimulate more thoughtful conversations, and even introduce game-like elements to inspire more playful interactions.
The app, though, does not spell the end of the amble Telegram bot.
Noting that some users preferred the bot's simplicity on Telegram, Chua said she is exploring ways to keep it as an option alongside the app.
'But moving forward, the app will be our focus – because it allows us to build amble the way we've always envisioned it, without compromises,' said Chua. - The Straits Times/ANN