Grindr is testing an AI bot that acts as a "companion," according to the CEO.
It is reported that the bot will recommend potential candidates for long-term relationships.
Grindr, one of the most recognized dating apps in the LGBTQ+ community, is testing an artificial intelligence bot designed to act as a companion for its users' dating experiences. This virtual "wingman" will focus on the unique aspects of Grindr's user base, enabling interactions similar to those of a chatbot.
According to Grindr's CEO, George Arison, a small group of users is currently evaluating this new feature. This group is expected to grow to 1,000 users by the end of 2024 and to 10,000 by 2025, with the aim of making it available to Grindr's entire user base, which consists of approximately 14 million people, by 2027.
The Grindr wingman will not only recommend candidates for long-term relationships but will also suggest date locations and take care of users' matching preferences. Additionally, it is planned that in the future, this bot will be able to make restaurant reservations and communicate with other bots to provide users with a more comprehensive view before their in-person meeting.
However, there are initial concerns regarding privacy and safety, especially in contexts where being openly gay can put users at risk. Grindr has previously been criticized for selling users' location data, which raises further concerns about data usage by artificial intelligence. To address these challenges, Grindr has partnered with the AI modeling company Ex-human, which will develop a romantic conversation model tailored to gay culture.
In addition to these potential issues, many Grindr users have expressed frustration with the app due to technical problems and payment barriers that have arisen following a significant investment to modernize its chat platform. Recently, a Grindr spokesperson acknowledged that users have faced technical difficulties and that work is being done to resolve these issues.
It remains to be seen how Grindr's infrastructure will adapt with the incorporation of this new chatbot feature and how users will respond to the proposal. Negative experiences in other dating services that have explored AI make the acceptance of such innovations uncertain, especially on a platform where quick dating is the norm.
