Hassan Taher Explores the Promise and Perils of AI in Online Dating

It should come as no surprise that artificial intelligence (AI) is entering the dating scene, given that we’re living in an age when technology is a major part of every other facet of our lives. Algorithms have been influencing everything from ads to news for years, but romance is now the latest frontier for AI. Hassan Taher, AI expert and author, is exploring the ways in which AI is revolutionizing the ways of finding love, generally by providing tools to help break the ice with a potential match.

Hassan was captivated by the potential of AI at an early age and pursued a career in that field, earning a degree in Computer Science from the University of North Texas. He has written many articles on AI for various publications, quickly establishing himself as an authority in this field. Hassan’s first book, “The Rise of Intelligent Machines,” was successful, and he has since written other books about AI, including “AI and Ethics: Navigating the Moral Maze” and “The Future of Work in an AI-Powered World.”

Current State of Dating

Major dating apps are already receiving AI capabilities. Match Group, owner of apps like Hinge, OkCupid and Tinder, appointed a vice president in August 2023 to lead a team in AI innovation for its apps. Bumble has also launched multiple features based on machine learning (ML), including one that uses past matches and preferences to improve the chances of success in future matches. Many other AI-powered apps are designed to help you put your best foot forward in dating by improving your dating profile and messages. In addition, companies like Replika are launching bots to create and maintain romantic relationships independently of a human operator.

Customizing Experiences

Dating apps have long used algorithms to identify potential matches in romance, but true AI goes well beyond this by learning from your interactions with other users based on information from a variety of sources. For example, Hassan notes that an AI-enabled app can use swipes, chat messages and other types of communication to determine the profiles it shows you. This degree of personalization makes finding a compatible partner less like looking for a needle in a haystack, which is a common experience with traditional dating apps.

AI can use advanced algorithms that analyze patterns in messages and visited profiles, allowing it to customize the user’s experience and increase the probability of making a meaningful connection. Assume for this example that you love to read books. A dating app can use AI to prioritize the profiles of other readers and even suggest conversation starters based on books.

Generating Profiles

Finding compatible dating profiles can be a daunting task due to the uniqueness of each individual’s personality. AI can help you overcome this challenge by creating personalized bios based on your interests, humor and other personality traits. A questionnaire on these topics can help an AI-based dating app determine what you’re looking for in a partner.

This capability raises questions about the authenticity of a profile written by software, but AI-generated profiles often outperform those written by users. Hassan suggests that AI algorithms know how to present ourselves to a prospective partner better than we do, but the ethical implications are still worth considering. The primary question about this issue is whether the greater efficiency and probability of success for an AI-generated profile outweighs the value of one written from the heart.

Making the First Move

The first message is usually the hardest part of online dating and is often a source of considerable anxiety. AI can ease this feeling by suggesting personalized messages based on the interests expressed in both profiles, resulting in a more engaging opening. Dating apps can use this technology to create a personal touch that overcomes the initial difficulty of starting a conversation, which is crucial for leading to more meaningful interactions. However, this use of AI raises the question of whether relying on AI to make the first move will sacrifice spontaneity for convenience, according to Hassan.

Effect on Relationships

It’s important to consider how AI will shape romantic relationships as it becomes more integrated with dating apps. For example, it can certainly remove much of the anxiety and guesswork from dating by making it easier to find a partner with shared values and interests. However, this approach also creates a risk of relying on algorithms to the point that you overlook compatible matches that fail to meet the algorithm’s criteria. Hassan maintains that balancing these two factors requires an AI dating app to enhance our dating lives while recognizing that human connections can be highly unpredictable.

What’s Next?

The integration of AI into dating is transforming the ways we can look for love by offering new approaches, while also creating new challenges. Navigating this evolving landscape successfully requires us to use AI as a tool to enhance personal effort, rather than a crutch that attempts to replace it. In addition, an AI dating app should retain the vulnerability that forms the foundation of any meaningful relationship. Dating should remain a distinctly human experience, even when the process of dating is driven by algorithms.

The increasing role of AI in dating is only part of the larger relationship between technology and human interaction, according to Hassan. The ways in which we meet each other will continue to evolve with AI, creating a future in which technology locates prospective partners and fosters relationships with them. At the same time, these abilities should maintain a balance with genuine human emotion.