Would you let AI date people for you? Bumble founder says this is a possible future, drawing scepticism

From ghosting to catfishing, online dating can be burdensome and tiring.

But according to Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder of popular dating app Bumble, we could be on the cusp of a brand new era in online dating.

All thanks to artificial intelligence (AI).

Last Thursday (May 9), Whitney spoke at the Bloomberg Tech Summit in San Francisco about how Bumble is looking into how AI can play a role in the dating game in the form of an "AI dating concierge".

In fact, she suggested that the concept might not be too far-fetched in the future of online dating.

"There is a world where your dating concierge could go and date for you with other dating concierge," she said.

Game-changer?

It might seem farcical at first, but think about it.

We've heard people point to career or personal commitments as stumbling blocks to their dry dating spells.

This "AI dating concierge" could be a game-changer.

They'd stand in on our behalf, reach out to potential partners and propose who are the best fits for us.

After making this statement on stage, host Emily Chang and some audience members responded with a giggle.

But it was clear that Whitney was not kidding.

"No, no, truly. And then, you don't have to talk to 600 people," the founder said.

During her conversation with Emily, Whitney included another example of how AI can help individuals "create healthy and equitable relationships".

Apart from going on dates on your behalf, she suggested how an "AI dating concierge" can potentially help individuals unpack their dating struggles.

Upon hearing out the individuals, the "AI dating concierge" could provide tips when a new match comes along.

A Bumble spokesperson told NBC News that the company "can see a future where AI can continue to foster" positive relations.

"Bumble is a place to make safe, kind and authentic connections, helping people to meet online, to then take the connection offline," the spokesperson added.

Raised eyebrows aplenty

Whitney's comment about singles using AI as stand-ins for themselves has gained traction online, and many did not seem too keen on the idea.

"This is literally a Black Mirror episode," one Reddit user commented, referring to the popular TV series which explores near-future dystopias.

Another lamented that this would mean their AI would be "getting more action" than they do.

Despite the general sense of scepticism though, some netizens did not seem opposed to the idea.

One Reddit user explained that having an "AI dating concierge" could be a valuable tool for women, in particular.

They explained: "[Women] are presented with the very real challenge of screening through all of those people in order to find the ones they're most compatible."

ALSO READ: It's a match: Millennial couples open up about journey from dating app to walking down the aisle

amierul@asiaone.com

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