Dating apps are gradually starting to run into a familiar problem. Users are still there, but the excitement isn’t. The swiping part of dating apps now feels repetitive, with matches starting to feel random all of a sudden. No wonder the burnout is pretty hard to ignore. Well, guess what — Tinder is looking to solve that problem with AI. Yes, you read that correctly.
‘Chemistry’ is Tinder’s AI experimental feature to fix the problem of endless scrolling for a perfect match
The Match-owned dating app is reportedly testing a new AI-powered feature called Chemistry, which is designed to reduce what the company openly describes as “swipe fatigue.” What’s Chemistry all about, you may ask, right? What used to be endless scrolling to find a genuine match, this AI-powered feature will now help users find fewer, but more relevant matches. To catch you up, Chemistry was first introduced last quarter and is reportedly being tested in Australia. But unlike traditional matching, the feature relies on AI to better understand users before showing them potential matches.
The AI-powered Chemistry feature allows users to answer a series of questions, and with permission, the tool can also analyze photos from their Camera Roll. Tinder says this helps the system identify interests, lifestyle signals, and personality traits that often don’t come through in short bios or profile prompts. The company isn’t looking to replace how Tinder functions currently, but it clearly is taking the app in a direction of AI, where scrolling shouldn’t feel mundane.
As reported by TechCrunch, Match CEO Spencer Rascoff, during the Q4 earnings call, described Chemistry as a different way to interact with the app. Rather than swiping through dozens of profiles, users may receive just one or two curated suggestions at a time. If you’ve ever been on Tinder to find someone that matches your vibe, you may know the struggle to find a real match. Tinder believes too much choice is contributing to burnout.
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Tinder’s engagement rate has taken a hit, but infusing AI looks promising per the company
The company’s push toward AI comes at a time when user engagement remains under pressure. In the fourth quarter, new Tinder registrations fell 5% year over year, while monthly active users declined 9%. Not to mention, those numbers still reflect a dip, but Match says the trend is improving compared to earlier quarters. The company credits AI-powered changes that reorder profiles, especially for women, along with other ongoing experiments across the platform. However, challenges for Match are still there, because users want better matches and not more profiles.
Besides Chemistry, Match says it is addressing Gen Z’s key pain points, which reportedly include relevance, trust, and authenticity. Tinder has been redesigning its discovery experience to feel less repetitive and more intentional. Safety features, like Face Check, are also playing a bigger role. If you are someone new to Tinder, Face Check basically uses facial recognition to verify users and looks to reduce abuse and fake profiles. According to Match, Face Check has led to a more than 50% drop in interactions with bad actors on Tinder.
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As you may know, Tinder built its identity around the swipe, but it appears to be slowly moving away from it. AI-powered recommendations could change how users think about dating apps. In order to boost user engagement, Match has also committed $50 million to Tinder marketing, including creator-driven campaigns on TikTok and Instagram. All that said, Tinder wants to feel relevant again, but with a slight help from artificial intelligence. But the big question is: will AI be able to help it?
