Grindr tests AI match-making in Australia amid dating app fatigue and safety concerns | Australia news
Amid dating app fatigue and concerns about the safety of its users, Grindr is testing high-priced subscriptions that will incorporate artificial intelligence to find people’s matches.
The app, aimed at gay and bisexual men, displays users’ profiles in a grid for those in their immediate circle; photos, stats and biographies aim to allow users to find people they are compatible with, from meeting to dating. Grindr says it has 15 million monthly active users worldwide.
The company began using artificial intelligence to detect underage users on the app, based on messages that might reveal that the user is under 18. Since December, Grindr has also begun checking the age of its users in Australia through face age or ID checks, in line with eSafety online codes.
It’s early days, but it’s hoped this control will restrict underage users and also stop those using the app under false pretenses arranging to meet men, then assaulting and, in some cases, robbing those they target.
The Victorian parliamentary inquiry, established last week following Guardian Australia’s report, will investigate these crimes and the potential role of “manosphere” influencers in encouraging these attacks.
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Since going public in 2022, Grindr has increasingly introduced many features that are offered in paid subscription tiers, including pop-up ads for those with free accounts, and the ability for users to see other users over longer distances.
Edge, the new AI feature trialled in Australia and New Zealand for the first time in the past few months, takes this to the next level, costing AU$109.99 per month compared to the AU$29.99 basic subscription. Pricing appears to vary by market; some US users report a price of $349 per month.
Features include AI summaries of a user’s conversations with others; This means they can reconnect with that user without having to review messages while visiting another city. The model, called “gAI” by Grindr, also identifies users who are likely to match based on statistics and conversation history, who the user has interacted with, and whether they are likely to initiate a conversation.
Tristan Pineiro, Grindr’s global marketing chief, told Guardian Australia the company often tests its new features in Australia.
“Australia is a great test market for us. It’s an early adopter market and we’re seeing Australians embrace giving us feedback.”
Pineiro admitted that the “lion’s share” of Grindr users remain on the free plan without any AI features, but that those users’ profiles will be matched with users on the Edge plan – unless they choose to disable the AI functionality.
Pineiro also said some users would not want their contacts and profile information included in Grindr’s artificial intelligence.
“It is made very clear to people that there is an opportunity to opt out because many people do not want these features or are more concerned about their data. [but] “We have very strict, legal contracts,” he said.
Additionally, sexual health information is excluded from the information the AI can access, he said.
At a time when competition from similar platforms like Sniffies has increased, Grindr hasn’t had the same level of Gen Z dating app fatigue as other apps have reported, with strong usage among 18- to 24-year-olds due to the immediacy of the connection when a user logs in, Pineiro said.
“You can go whenever you want, chat with people instantly, and be happy to get a response. There are no obstacles.”
