Tinder Looks to AI to Help Fight ‘Swipe Fatigue’ and Dating App Burnout

Tinder is turning to artificial intelligence to address "swipe fatigue," a growing issue among dating app users who feel burned out from endlessly scrolling through profiles and are seeking more meaningful matches.

The Match Group–owned dating app has introduced a new AI-powered feature called Chemistry, which debuted last quarter. Tinder says Chemistry uses AI to better understand users by asking them questions and, with their consent, analyzing photos from their phone's Camera Roll to learn more about their interests and personality traits.

During Match Group's fourth-quarter 2026 earnings call, an analyst from Morgan Stanley asked for an update on the feature's performance.

Match CEO Spencer Rascoff said Chemistry is currently being tested only in Australia, but described it as an "AI way to interact with Tinder." He explained that instead of swiping through many profiles, users can answer questions and receive "just a single drop or two" of potential matches.

Rascoff also suggested that Chemistry's role on the platform could expand beyond its current Q&A and Camera Roll functions, hinting at broader AI-driven use cases in the future.

At its core, the feature is designed to reduce swipe fatigue — a common complaint from users who say they must sift through too many profiles before finding someone of interest.

Tinder's push toward AI comes at a time when dating apps across the industry are facing challenges, including declining paid subscriptions, user burnout, and fewer new sign-ups.

In the fourth quarter, Tinder reported that new registrations were down 5% year over year, while monthly active users declined 9%. Although still negative, these figures represent modest improvements compared with earlier quarters. Match attributed some of that progress to AI-driven changes in how profiles are ordered, particularly for women, as well as to other ongoing product experiments.

Looking ahead, Match said it plans to tackle key Gen Z concerns, including relevance, authenticity, and trust. To do so, the company is redesigning the discovery experience to make it feel less repetitive and is relying on tools like Face Check, a facial verification system designed to reduce fake profiles and harmful behaviour. On Tinder, Face Check has resulted in a more than 50% reduction in interactions with bad actors, the company said.

Tinder's gradual shift away from traditional swiping toward more targeted, AI-powered recommendations could reshape how users experience the app. The swipe mechanic — popularised by Tinder — creates the sense of unlimited choice, but in practice, matches require mutual interest, and even then, meaningful connections are far from guaranteed.

Match reported a fourth-quarter earnings beat, posting revenue of $878 million and earnings per share of 83 cents, both above Wall Street expectations. However, weaker forward guidance caused the company's stock to dip on Tuesday, before it rebounded in premarket trading on Wednesday.

Beyond AI-driven features, Match also plans to ramp up product marketing to reenergize Tinder engagement. The company is committing $50 million to Tinder marketing, including creator-led campaigns on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where influencers will promote the idea that "Tinder is cool again," Rascoff said.