Gen Z is dating more, but still doesn’t want AI to do the flirting, Bloomberg Intelligence survey finds
A new Bloomberg Intelligence survey of 1,000 US dating app users finds more Gen Z singles are actively dating, but many remain uneasy about AI writing their replies or building their profiles.
More Gen Z singles are back on the apps, but they are not keen to hand the conversation over to a chatbot. A new survey by Bloomberg Intelligence (BI), reported by Bloomberg News on 28 October 2026, found that 34% of dating app users aged 16 to 28 are single and actively dating, up from 23% a year earlier, while the generation remains more cautious than millennials about AI features.
BI polled 1,000 US dating app users, split evenly between men and women, between 26 August and 21 September 2026.
What the survey found
- More Gen Z daters. The share of 16–28-year-olds who are single and dating rose from 23% to 34% in a year.
- Willing to pay, but price-sensitive. As the group gets older it becomes more open to paying for subscriptions, though it remains more price-conscious than millennials.
- Wary of AI. A BI report from last year found that just over half of Gen Z users were comfortable with AI helping to draft replies and keep chats going, compared with 70% of millennials.
- Profiles aren’t the problem. A sizeable share of respondents said building a profile isn’t hard, which casts doubt on demand for AI tools that pick photos or fill in prompts.
BI analyst Nicole D’Souza said changing priorities as Gen Z ages “could expand the future addressable market” for dating apps, but added that the apps “may need to remain cautious” in how they use AI, balancing helpful tools against the risk of alienating younger users who want genuine connection.
Why it matters for the big apps
The timing is pointed. Match Group, which owns Tinder and Hinge, has leaned into AI and into social formats such as double dates, group dating and in-person events to win back younger users, and is due to report third-quarter results on 2 November after the US market close. Bumble, which experimented with AI features and dropped its women-message-first rule, has agreed a $1.3bn takeover and will go private.
The BI findings echo other recent research. Earlier surveys we covered show many singles already use AI quietly, from AI-written opening lines to AI companions that some don’t consider cheating, yet a large share still treats a fully AI-written profile or chat as a red flag.
What it means if you’re dating in the UK or US
- Expect more AI prompts in your apps — but you don’t have to use them. Profile and message suggestions are optional.
- Use AI as an editor, not a ghostwriter. A tidy-up of your bio is one thing; a match who discovers every message was generated may feel misled.
- Keep photos real. AI-altered pictures are one of the clearest turn-offs in recent surveys, and they set up a disappointing first date.
Note: the BI sample covers US dating app users only; UK figures may differ.
Sources
- Bloomberg News via The Star, “Gen Z is still sceptical of AI-infused dating apps, new survey finds”, 29 October 2026
- Spritzler Report, “Gen Z is dating more but still wary of AI features on dating apps”, 28 October 2026
- GuruFocus, “Match Group set to report Q3 earnings on November 2”, 1 November 2026
Cover photo: Clay Banks / Unsplash
