Generative AI chatbots are becoming integrated into the realm of romance, offering assistance with dating-related tasks such as profile creation, message decoding, and drafting replies. While skepticism exists, a growing number of individuals are turning to AI for guidance.
Experts advise a balanced approach, with Logan Ury, Director of Relationship Science at Hinge, suggesting AI should act as a 'wingman' providing suggestions and feedback, rather than a 'ghostwriter' that dictates responses. Ury emphasizes that the person a match meets should be authentic to the online interactions. Good uses include profile feedback and first date ideas, while copying messages or altering images is discouraged.
Dating coach Erika Ettin advocates for a more limited role for AI, primarily for proofreading profiles or messages after users have formulated their own opinions, stressing the importance of authenticity over perfection.
Jules White, director of Vanderbilt University’s initiative on the future of learning and generative AI, highlights the significance of effective prompting. He suggests instructing chatbots to ask clarifying questions to gather sufficient information for tailored advice. Matt Shumer, a partner at Shumer Capital, recommends prompts that encourage users to think deeply, advising chatbots to 'help me get there on my own' rather than providing direct answers, particularly in interpreting nuanced dating messages.
Liesel Sharabi, director of Arizona State University's Relationships and Technology Lab, points out that AI advice is influenced by the data it's trained on and its aim to please users. She advises users to provide information from both sides of a situation and to treat AI-generated advice as just one data point among many, rather than relying on it exclusively.