Make Me Smart Can AI bots help us find love?
Feb 12, 2026
Jason Parham, senior writer at Wired who covers internet culture, sex, and dating, discusses AI’s role in modern romance. He talks about AI features on major apps, risks to authenticity and intimacy, the rise of virtual relationships and friendship apps. He’s cautiously optimistic that AI can help if it nudges people toward real-world connection.
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AI Replaces Endless Swiping
- Major dating apps are shifting from endless swipes to AI-powered matchmaking and conversation tools.
- They use prompts, date planning, and chat scaffolding to reduce swipe fatigue and improve match quality.
AI Can Erode Early Trust
- Overreliance on AI can undermine early-stage trust because people may not show up authentically.
- Justin Garcia warns that using AI to do dating labor can chip away at building interpersonal trust.
Expect AI Behind Paywalls
- Dating apps will likely gate advanced AI features behind subscriptions to justify investing in better matches.
- Expect companies to mix free tools with paid AI matchmaking and profile support.