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The Independent
14-07-2025
- The Independent
Almost half of Gen Z is using AI to help with dating apps
If dating woes are getting you down, then you're definitely not alone. Experts have now found that almost half of Gen Z are using one specific tool to outweigh the rest and boost their game. According to a new study on American singles, by dating app company and The Kinsey Institute at Indiana University, 1 in 4 singletons – nearly 50 percent of Gen Z – are using artificial intelligence to up their dating chances. That's almost a third of an increase since last year, say experts. Gen Z, aged 18 to 27, was the group that used AI the most, compared to millennials, aged 28 to 43, and Gen X, aged 44 to 59. However, 30 percent of Gen Z opted to remain intentionally celibate – a sharp departure from hookup culture and one in line with the boom of healthier lifestyles and less of a desire for party culture. Nevertheless, half of Gen Z were still having sex at least once a month, the report said – marking a 40 percent uptick since last year. 'People are turning to AI for literally any use case you could imagine," social health and human connection expert Kasley Killam told CBS News. 'It's inevitable that people are going to turn to AI for dating coaching,' Killam added. For many people, the task of selling yourself, whether it's on a CV, cover letter, new social group, or a dating app, is a challenging feat. By inputting prompts into AI services, a person can boost the tone, detail, and style in just a few minutes. For example, The Independent typed a prompt into ChatGPT, asking it to create an enhanced dating profile for a fictional man in the U.S. 'I'm a 26-year-old man from Richmond, Virginia, who likes baseball and works as a software engineer – can you write me a dating profile suited for long-term relationships?' Within seconds, ChatGPT transformed a two-sentence prompt into a lengthy spiel. It suggested a pithy username and injected heaps of personality into the basic information provided. 'I'm a 26-year-old software engineer who believes that the best days are a mix of thoughtful conversations, shared laughter, and maybe a baseball game in the background. I live in Richmond and love exploring the city's food scene, catching a Flying Squirrels game, or just relaxing with good company and a cold beer,' it wrote. 'When I'm not writing code, I'm usually digging into a new podcast, trying to master a recipe (currently losing to homemade pizza), or daydreaming about a road trip to a ballpark I haven't been to yet. I've got a steady job, strong values, and I'm serious about building something real with someone who's kind, curious, and emotionally available.' It even gave the option to tailor the profile for a specific app, 'like Hinge, Bumble, or OkCupid.' One significant downside to the deployment of AI in online dating is the rise of romance scams. In the U.S., many fall victim and millions of dollars are lost annually. In 2023, the FBI estimated that $652 million was lost to romance and confidence scams; however, the actual number is expected to be significantly higher, as many cases remain unreported. study indicates that Gen X was the least likely generation to utilize AI for dating advice, preferring in-person referrals; however, they showed a growing interest in AI matchmaking. Millennials were found to use dating apps the most.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Yahoo
Unlucky in love? AI dating apps promise to help you up your game.
While online dating apps makes searching for love more convenient, finding that special person is difficult as ever. A cute photo and simple "hello" may not be enough to help you break through the noise, which is why many of those feeling stuck on what to say are turning to artificial intelligence for assistance. That's according to a study on singles in America released last month by dating app and The Kinsey Institute at Indiana University which found that 1 in 4 singles — and nearly half of Gen Z — use AI to up their dating game. Turning to the technology as a tool for crafting witty or charming messages or filtering matches, 26% of Americans said they use AI to help them with their dating life, according to the study — a 333% increase from a year ago. "People are turning to AI for literally any use case you could imagine," said Kasley Killam, a social health and human connection expert. "And so it's inevitable that people are going to turn to AI for dating coaching." Capitalizing on the trend are AI dating assistants, which coach people on what to say, what tone to strike and how to keep the conversation flowing if it hits a lull. For individuals who feel writing isn't their strong suit, the technology can be a real confidence booster. Advice on what to say Roman Khaves, founder of a dating assistant app called Rizz — which Gen Z-speak for "charisma" — said the service provides around-the-clock, objective advice for people who can't afford a human dating coach or can't reach their friends in a pinch. "It'll never sleep on you," Khaves told CBS MoneyWatch, describing the app as an "AI wingwoman or AI wingman in your pocket." Rizz works by letting users upload screenshots of their conversations from dating apps or social media. Rizz then suggests a reply using generative AI. The more you use Rizz, the more it understands what type of replies you tend to like or feel comfortable with. That trains the AI model to improve over time. Rizz has a user base of roughly 10 million, according to Khaves, and is composed of 65% men and 35% women, largely within the 18-to-25 age range. Another service called Keepler, a dating-optimization app, has a feature that helps people navigate the dreaded practice known as "ghosting," or when someone abruptly cuts off communication with someone without providing any explanation. One reason people ghost others is that they don't know the best way to let someone down easy, Keepler co-founder and CEO Rachel Abramowitz, told CBS MoneyWatch. Keepler's defense against such tactless behavior is Keri, the app's in-house relationship guide. "What we've built is a way to put in your raw, unedited feedback to Keri. Keri will rewrite it for you, and then you can send it to somebody," Abramowitz said. For those who have been ghosted, Keepler also allows users to request feedback from their vanishing date directly through the app, or have Keri help them write a message to send on their own. Abramowitz emphasizes that the app isn't aimed at providing therapy, but rather is there to offer support. With Keri, she said, "it really does feel like you have someone who is objective, who is on your side, who has no ulterior motives, and really wants you to help reach your goals." Dating apps are also getting into the AI assistant game. Hinge and Grindr, two of the most popular dating apps, are also taking steps to integrate AI into their platforms. In January, Hinge introduced Prompt Feedback, an AI feature that provides users with immediate feedback on information their profiles as they are entering the information. A supplement, not substitution The growing popularity of AI dating assistants gives rise to questions over authenticity as more users rely on AI to convey thoughts and ideas they did not come up with on their own. One 36-year old user of Rizz, who asked to remain anonymous to protect his privacy, told CBS MoneyWatch that he could see why using AI to craft messages may come off as disingenuous to some, although he merely uses it to stand out from the crowd. Some of his dates, he said, have appeared skeptical after he revealed to them that he was getting behind-the-scenes coaching from Rizz, but he believes the service is a helpful conversation starter. "For me personally, it's good for just initiating conversation, getting someone's attention, and then being able to just be myself after that," he said. Killam, the social health and human connection expert, said she thinks AI dating tools can be useful, as long as people don't misrepresent who they are or lean on them too much. "The risk is that when we use AI as a substitute for human connection, rather than a supplement to it," she said. ICE raids in California turn violent after protesters clash with agents One year after Thomas Crooks tried to kill President Trump, here's what's known about him Udemy is Powering Enterprise AI Transformation Through Skills
CBS News
11-07-2025
- CBS News
Unlucky in love? AI dating apps promise to help you up your game.
While the proliferation of online dating apps makes searching for love more convenient, finding love is still a challenge. A cute photo and simple "hello" may not be enough to help you break through the noise, which is why many of those feeling stuck on what to say are turning to artificial intelligence for assistance . That's according to a study on singles in America released last month by dating app and The Kinsey Institute at Indiana University which found that 1 in 4 singles — and nearly half of Gen Z — use AI to shore up their dating game. Turning to the technology as a tool for crafting witty or charming messages or filtering matches, 26% of Americans said they use AI to help them with their dating life, according to the study — a 333% increase from a year ago. "People are turning to AI for literally any use case you could imagine," said Kasley Killam, a social health and human connection expert. "And so it's inevitable that people are going to turn to AI for dating coaching." Capitalizing on the trend are AI dating assistants, which coach people on what to say, what tone to strike and how to keep the conversation flowing if it hits a lull. For individuals who feel writing is not their strong suit, the technology can be a real confidence booster. Roman Khaves, founder of a dating assistant app called Rizz — which Gen Z-speak for "charisma" — says the service provides around-the-clock, objective advice for people who can't afford a human dating coach or can't reach their friends in a pinch. Rizz, Keepler "It'll never sleep on you," Rizz founder Roman Khaves told CBS MoneyWatch. Khaves likens the app to an "AI wingwoman or AI wingman in your pocket." Rizz works by allowing users to upload screenshots of their conversations from dating apps or social media, for which Rizz then suggests a reply using generative AI. The more you use Rizz, the more it understands what type of replies you like. And that trains the model to improve over time. Rizz's user base is roughly 10 million, according to Khaves, and is composed of 65% men and 35% women, largely within the 18 to 25 age range. Another service called Keepler, a dating-optimization app, has a feature that helps people navigate the dreaded practice known as "ghosting," which is when someone abruptly cuts off communication with someone without providing any explanation. One reason people ghost others is that they don't know the best way to let someone down easy, Keepler co-founder and CEO Rachel Abramowitz, told CBS MoneyWatch. Keepler's guard against such tactless behavior is Keri, the app's in-house relationship guide. "What we've built is a way to put in your raw, unedited feedback to Keri. Keri will rewrite it for you, and then you can send it to somebody," said Abramowitz. For those who have been ghosted, Keepler allows users to request feedback from their vanishing date directly through the app, or have Keri help them write a message to send on their own. Abramowitz made clear that the service is not providing therapy, but support. With Keri, she said, "it really does feel like you have someone who is objective, who is on your side, who has no ulterior motives, and really wants you to help reach your goals." Dating apps are also getting into the AI assistant game. Hinge and Grindr, two of the most popular dating apps, are also taking steps to integrate AI into their platforms. In January, Hinge introduced Prompt Feedback, an AI feature that provides users with immediate feedback on information their profiles as they are entering the information. A supplement, not substitution The growing popularity of AI dating assistants gives rise to questions over authenticity as more users rely on AI to convey thoughts and ideas they did not come up with on their own. One 36-year old user of Rizz, who asked to remain anonymous to protect his privacy, told CBS MoneyWatch that he could see why using AI to craft messages may come off as disingenuous to some, although he merely uses it to stand out from the crowd. Some of his dates, he said, have appeared skeptical after he revealed to them that he was getting behind-the-scenes coaching from Rizz, but he believes the service is a helpful conversation starter. "For me personally, it's good for just initiating conversation, getting someone's attention, and then being able to just be myself after that," he said. Killam, the social health and human connection expert, said she thinks AI dating tools can be useful, as long as people don't misrepresent who they are or lean on them too much. "The risk is that when we use AI as a substitute for human connection, rather than a supplement to it," she said. contributed to this report.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
I Had A Crush On My Married Video Store Clerk For 7 Years. Then I Got A Message I Never Expected.
Hi, I always wondered if there were unspoken rules about acknowledging your mutual profiles on with someone you sort of know. I've been curious to compare notes and hear what it was like from a woman's viewpoint. What do you think? ~ Kevin It took me a few seconds to realize who this Kevin was when I read his message. At first I didn't recognize him from his photograph, but then I realized he was the clerk from Captain Video, my local video store. An avid movie buff, I had been a frequent customer since it opened. However, it was more than its good selection of videos that I liked about Captain Video. For seven years, I had harbored a huge crush on Kevin, the boyish man with twinkly eyes behind the counter. You can learn a lot by observing someone for that long. I noticed how witty he was when bantering with co-workers and other customers. I loved the turn of Southern phrases he used like 'dumb as a box of hair.' And I loved his excellent taste in videos. He watched a lot of indie art house movies and I relied on him for recommendations. But whenever I asked him for suggestions, I never looked directly in his eyes, fearful he would see the faint blush on my cheeks and my weakness for funny, smart men. I never dared hope that my interest in him might be reciprocated. To start with, I could tell he was younger than me. But it was the wedding ring on his finger that kept me from harboring any serious fantasies about the charming Captain Video clerk. My marriage had ended 12 years earlier and I had fallen in love once or twice since then, but ultimately none of these suitors had been the right match. When Kevin's message showed up on it had been several years since I had been in a relationship, and I missed having a partner. Online dating had been unpleasant for me: the mutual visual assessment with the inevitable disappointment on one side or both; the banal small talk; the painfully awkward parting when it becomes clear that you are being voted off the island or were doing the voting. Everyone I met either bored me or they didn't like short, opinionated Jewish women. It rarely took more than one date for me to know there was no chemistry. After having met dozens of prospects that went nowhere, I was ready to give up. So when the newly divorced Kevin showed up in my inbox, I was ecstatic. I couldn't believe the man I had had a crush on for years might actually be interested in me, but at the same time, I worried that he might not be. After all, he hadn't asked me for a date. It sounded like he just wanted to compare notes. I was hesitant about getting too excited and I responded cautiously, trying to sound as noncommittal as him. 'The way I see it,' I wrote back, 'it's a crapshoot. Sometimes I think I shouldn't bother doing this at all, but I like it because it gives me a tiny bit of hope.' His response yielded no additional clues. He shared that he too had had no luck with online dating and had used it because he worked two jobs, had a kid, and didn't have much time to meet people. He was reluctant to date customers, he said, because he was worried about the awkwardness that might ensue should the romance go south. 'So here we are on Match,' he wrote, 'waiting to see if lightning will strike online or off.' Hmm, I thought. I was a customer who felt like I had just been struck by lightning. Did he mean to exclude us? Was my excitement one-sided? I ran the scenario by my friends who were also unsure, but wondered, as I did, why he would reach out to me on a dating app if he weren't interested. I was certain, though, that the minute I'd see him again in person, the answer would be clear. There would either be chemistry or there wouldn't. Every time I went to the video store, I drove there with a mixture of trepidation and excitement because I didn't know his schedule. I had never thought about what I was wearing when I went to the video store before, but now the stakes were high. My typical outfit until then had been a tank top and a worn pair of overalls. I wondered if I should wear something more attractive, but figured I'd stick with my usual comfortable hippie style. Maybe that was a look he liked. Part of me hoped he would be there, but I also hoped he wouldn't. I desperately wanted to know if he liked me, but I also wasn't ready to let go of the fantasy that this might be the beginning of something big. So it drove me a little crazy that each time I went to rent a video, he was never there. Our email conversations continued, though. 'When I started on Match,' he wrote in his next email, 'I viewed it as somewhat of a sociological experiment. Like do you usually reply even if you are not interested?' That was exactly what I was wondering! Was this his roundabout way of feeling out if I was interested in him — or was this really just a platonic query about online dating protocol? We were now exchanging emails daily and I could see the man clearly knew how to write. His language was so artfully ambiguous and that turned me on even more. I read his words over and over, searching for a clue. Even though it had been nearly two weeks since we started corresponding, I still could not figure out his intentions. I wrote to him that I had really enjoyed 'Box of Moonlight,' a movie that had been on his 'staff picks' shelf. 'If you like that, you should also try 'Love Liza,'' he replied. 'I love Philip Seymour Hoffman in that movie but it almost never gets rented. I have a few more sleepers up my sleeve, if you're interested.' That evening I decided to drive to the video store and rent his recommendation. I didn't know whether he'd be working, but if I couldn't see him, at least I could watch one of his movies. As soon as I got there, however, I knew the moment of truth had arrived: there was Kevin, standing behind the counter. I took a deep breath, nodded hi, and quickly headed to the indie film section. Just as he had assured me, the movie had not been rented. I picked up the case and took it to the checkout counter and stood at the end of a long line of customers. I could feel my face getting warmer and warmer as the line moved forward. And then it was my turn and there he was with a big smile on his face. The minute we started talking, we couldn't stop. I was grateful that I had been the last customer in the line. Somehow we got on the topic of our favorite local swimming holes and the joys of jumping in a cold body of water on a hot day. While he was talking, I could tell by the way he was looking at me that we would do this together one day. I left Captain Video feeling electricity buzzing through my body. When I got home, there was a new email from him. 'I'm liking this little testing of the waters,' he wrote, 'and really enjoyed our face-to-face today. So do you want to take this to another level and have dinner or at least a drink?' 'Sure,' I wrote back. It's been over 20 years since I sent that email. Three weeks after our first date, Kevin and I were inseparable. I learned that men who appreciate good movies and good writing make for good partners. At least for me. I also found out that sometimes it's worth putting yourself out there, even if it feels uncomfortable or hopeless, because it's one way you can up the odds that life's randomness might actually tip in your favor. Since we've been together, we've jumped into many cold bodies of water and enjoyed lots of adventures. We've traveled the world and built a cabin in the woods. Now we're growing old together and playing with our grandchildren. It hasn't been all ducks and bunnies, as Kevin would say, but mostly it has. I still love his movie recommendations and he hasn't bored me yet. Plus, he still likes me in my overalls. Sarena Neyman is a writer living in Leverett, Massachusetts, whose essays have also appeared in Cabin Life and Business Insider. Her opinion pieces have been syndicated nationally through Do you have a compelling personal story you'd like to see published on HuffPost? Find out what we're looking for here and send us a pitch at pitch@ I Was On A Perfect Date Until His Comment About My Face Caused Everything To Unravel My Boyfriend And I Were Falling In Love. Then He Hit Me With A Deal Breaker I Never Saw Coming. I Got A DM About The Man I Was Dating. It Changed My Life In Ways I Never Imagined.
Vogue
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue
What Getting Divorced in My 20s Taught Me About Love
When I was growing up in the 1990s, getting married wasn't an 'if' in the Midwest, but a 'when'—and 'divorce' was practically a curse word. Despite the statistics even then, I felt wildly entitled to a love story, and blissfully ignorant that it could one day end. Now, the #DivorceTok hashtag has racked up some 1.4 billion views on TikTok, while the likes of Sarah Manguso and Miranda July have written best-selling novels about the same subject. It's also become more common to split up sooner: 'People are more financially independent and having kids later in life,' divorce attorney Shana Vitek tells me. 'Nowadays, it's just more acceptable to get out of a bad relationship.' As a 45-year-old woman who survived the dirty d-word in my 20s, I'm amazed at the cultural shift; we've moved from hushed tones to viral conversation. I fell in love with my first husband at age 26. Although had recently emerged as an edgy new way to meet people, I was thrilled to be fixed up, the good old-fashioned way, by my best friend. He was her husband's cousin: a sweet, broke, 28-year-old office-supply worker. Sure, our connection wasn't entirely intellectual, and he hated that I didn't find him especially funny, but he was there and I was restless to get to the altar. Days filled with bridesmaids duties and baby showers made me feel like I was already lagging behind. Two and a half years later, for our wedding in downtown Chicago, I hand-made table numbers to correspond with 18 meaningful locations from our courtship, and the two of us did a choreographed dance routine. But if I felt magic in the air that day, a suffocating fog quickly settled over the marriage that followed, as I goaded him into sex during my ovulation windows and we bickered in the car after every couples' game night. Then, six months in, on an otherwise uneventful spring weeknight, he came home and said, 'I don't actually want to have kids. Getting married was a huge mistake.' I asked him if there was someone else. He denied it, but eventually I discovered that he had reconnected with an ex. I stood at the stove, over a robin's egg blue Le Creuset dutch oven I'd just taken out of the box—a gift from my cousin—and stewed. At 29, I felt I'd been uprooted before I'd even settled down.
