Bumble CEO Says AI Can Help Foster Meaningful Connections

Whitney Wolfe Herd, the founder and CEO of dating app Bumble, said artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform the dating landscape and address the loneliness epidemic in America.

Many single adults in the United States struggle with dating due to a lack of flirting skills or fear of rejection, Wolfe Herd said in an interview on The Circuit with Emily Chang, Bloomberg reported Thursday (Aug. 31). To address this, Bumble aims to leverage chatbot technology as a dating coach. By using AI, Bumble seeks to help users feel more secure and comfortable when interacting with potential partners, instilling confidence and enhancing the overall dating experience.

Wolfe Herd also said that loneliness has become a prevalent issue in society, with over half of adults in the U.S. reporting feelings of isolation, according to the report. By expanding its services beyond romantic partnerships, Bumble seeks to combat loneliness by helping users find platonic relationships. The recent launch of the Bumble For Friends (BFF) app, designed for finding friends, reflects Bumble’s commitment to building a comprehensive relationship business.

AI can improve the quality of matches by “supercharging fate,” Wolfe Herd said in the report. Ultimately, technology should assist human interaction, she added.

The interview comes as some dating apps are testing the waters with higher-priced subscription tiers that have additional features such as unlimited swipes that can increase users’ chances of finding a match. This is being done in a bid to increase revenue and cater to more intentional daters.

Some dating platforms have seen a decline in paying users, but executives said converting a small fraction of users to the premium tier could result in additional annual revenue.

At the same time, 73 million consumers across the U.S. log in to dating apps every month, and 25 million do so daily, according to “The ConnectedEconomy Monthly Report: The Love and Social Media Edition.”

The report also found that the share of consumers using dating apps increased by 21% year over year, meaning that 13 million more consumers used them in 2023 than in 2022.

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