Hinge’s Guide to Using AI in Dating

Hinge’s latest Gen Z D.A.T.E (Data, Advice, Trends, and Expertise) Report sheds light on how people are navigating dating in an era where AI is increasingly part of everyday life. While Gen Z is open to experimenting with AI, they’re also being deliberate about its role and embracing it as a support tool, rather than a substitute for real connection. In fact, our research shows that daters on Hinge are primarily using AI is as a virtual ‘second opinion.” 52% of Gen Z daters who use AI said they “vibe-check” messages before sending them.

For many, AI’s value lies in inspiration, while authenticity remains non-negotiable.

As Hinge’s Lead Relationship Scientist, Logan Ury (she/her) puts it, “AI is great for a gut check or getting unstuck, but the goal isn't a perfect message. It's a message that sounds like you, because you want someone to fall for your authentic self.”

Dating Authentically with AI: Q&A with Hinge’s Expert
Logan answers the most common questions around dating and using AI as a support tool.

Q: How can I use AI to improve my dating profile?
Logan: Writing about yourself is hard, and 63% of Hinge daters say they struggle with what to write on their profile. Tools like Prompt Feedback on Hinge can offer personalized nudges to help daters better express their personality, interests, and intentions without speaking for them.

But skip the AI-generated profile photos. 88% of Hinge daters are uncomfortable with them. Instead, choose recent photos that truly represent you.

Q: Should I use AI to plan a date?
Logan: 69% of Hinge daters told us they’re comfortable (or neutral) with AI helping plan dates. The best dates show effort and that you care about your match’s interests. For example, if they love music, plan a date that helps them show off their quirky taste. Focus the date on who they are, not something that looks good on paper but feels impersonal in practice.

Q: Is it wrong to use AI to think of messages to send to my matches?
Logan: Think of AI as your wingman, not your ghostwriter. It can check your ideas to make sure you’re giving off the impression you want. However, it’s important that you express yourself in your own voice, because that’s who your match will meet on your first date!

One of the best ways to use AI is when you’re looking for inspiration on topics to ask a match about, especially if you’re not quite sure what to say. Hinge’s Convo Starters feature gives daters personalized tips for starting a conversation inspired by the Prompt answers and photos on someone’s profile. Each tip encourages daters to ask questions, exchange ideas and opinions, or engage in deeper discussions with each other. 

Q: Should I use AI for dating advice?
Logan: AI can be helpful for surface-level stuff, but it can't actually teach you how to be in a relationship. It doesn't have a body, a nervous system, or the lived experience of heartbreak and awkward silences that teach us how to love. My bigger concern isn't that AI will give you bad advice—it's that we'll start outsourcing our emotional growth to something that can't grow with us. Dating requires tolerating uncertainty and figuring things out in real time. If you never do that, those muscles atrophy. 

Q: What’s the right role for AI in dating?
Logan: Second opinion, not decision-maker. It's fine to get help when you're staring at a blank screen. But the real choices that propel you into a relationship, like what you say, how you interpret their responses, whether you keep going, those have to stay yours. If you let AI drive, you'll end up in a relationship with someone who fell for a version of you that doesn't exist, or with a person you’re not genuinely into. 

AI on Hinge
Hinge has a commitment to use AI as a guide to help daters intentionally connect, not distract them from finding meaningful connections. Hinge’s generative AI tools – Convo Starters and Prompt Feedback – do not provide pre-written language to copy and paste. Instead, these features offer thought starters to inspire daters as they write in their own words. These optional features allow daters to take what’s helpful, write something personal to them, and embrace what makes them unique as they open up to their matches and get out on great dates.

You can learn more about Hinge’s AI Principles here.