Key Points
- Love begins where automation ends
- Truth holds when humans take over
- AI dating assistants now help users craft messages and optimise profiles
- Oscillating between authenticity and emotional deception
ISLAMABAD: Artificial intelligence is increasingly stepping into the world of digital romance, helping millions of users write opening lines, polish dating profiles, and even suggest when to follow up — but experts warn that this new “dating assistant” may be blurring the line between charm and deception.
Apps such as Rizz, YourMove AI, and WingAI market themselves as on-demand dating partners, offering users real-time message suggestions and photo guidance. Rizz, which claims more than 15 million users worldwide, helps people “spark conversations that feel natural,” according to its founder, Roman Khaves, who told Reuters that the aim is to “get users off the apps faster and into real-life dating.”
Other platforms are following suit. Match Group, which owns Tinder, Hinge, and OkCupid, is investing heavily in AI integration to “re-energise online dating” after years of stagnant user engagement, the Dallas Morning News reported. Hinge is testing features that automatically suggest replies, while Tinder plans to use AI to recommend better photos, mentioned the ‘PYMNTS.com’ in its July update.
Meanwhile, new entrants such as Amata, profiled by Business Insider, skip traditional swiping altogether. The app’s in-built AI matchmaker interviews users, suggests potential partners, and even plans the first date, opening chat windows only hours before the meeting.
A shortcut or a step too far?
The technology’s promise is clear: many people find it difficult to start conversations online, and AI can relieve that anxiety. CBS News reported that users see these assistants as tools to “cut through the silence” and reduce rejection stress. For some, like 35-year-old Dmitry from Miami, AI-written messages have led to more in-person meetings.
But for others, the experience feels unsettling. London-based writer Sophie Sherwin told Reuters that she began to suspect AI when a potential match’s replies became “too perfect.” “They were flawless — and people aren’t flawless,” she said, describing it as “falling in love with perfection, without the connection.”
Authenticity at risk
Experts fear that the ease of automation could erode communication skills and genuine self-expression. Grace Lee, a New York-based dating coach who uses AI simulations for training, told Reuters that dating companies “have spent millions perfecting the algorithms but almost nothing helping people talk about themselves.”
Psychologist Gary Lewandowski, a relationship researcher in New Jersey, told Time Magazine that AI can help when someone feels stuck, but warned that “the real you has to show up eventually.” Relying too heavily on generated texts, he said, risks replacing authentic connection with performance.
New ethical and emotional questions
Beyond awkward conversations, there are bigger concerns. Security experts told the US State Federal Credit Union’s fraud centre that AI chatbots are now being exploited in romance scams, using deepfake photos and persuasive scripts to build false intimacy. The more technology advances, the harder it becomes to detect such impersonation.
Research published on ResearchGate found that when people discover AI was used in crafting dating messages, trust tends to drop even if the content itself remains attractive. The effect, the study said, is “a social penalty for perceived deception.”
Between help and honesty
Analysts suggest that as AI tools proliferate, a new etiquette may be necessary. Some experts advocate for transparency — acknowledging AI assistance early on — while others suggest that platforms should design prompts that encourage users to personalise every message before sending.
For now, users remain divided. Some view AI dating assistants as empowering, while others take it as hollowing out romance. As technology rewrites the rules of attraction, one truth still holds: love begins where automation ends — when the human voice finally takes over.
