Key Takeaways
- Fewer dating app users are enthusiastic about AI innovations than it seems, according to a recent survey, with 63.5% saying AI doesn’t make them choose one app over another.
- Surveyed users say they are most concerned about whether AI can provide data security, and their engagement levels will vary based on their comfort-levels on the app.
- Consumers are willing to share their data if they get something they deem valuable in return, such as a more personalized user experience.
Artificial Intelligence is going to change the world — but 63.5% of surveyed dating app users say it won’t make them choose one app over the other.
Then, how come practically every dating app is putting its eggs in AI’s basket?
Instabug surveyed 1,000 mobile app users and found that the general public may be more conflicted about AI usage on dating apps than AI advocates would have you think.
Just because AI has undeniably had a “meteoric rise and proliferation across industries and use cases” doesn’t mean it automatically leads to improved engagement on dating apps, according to the report.
Not All Dating App Users Are Enamored With AI
“AI presents a huge opportunity but requires a thoughtful and strategic approach to succeed,” Instabug advised. And although AI is trendy, it’s more useful to consumers in the shopping, social media, banking, and entertainment industries than it is in the dating industry.
The reason for this? Everybody shops, banks, and seeks out entertainment. Not everybody needs to date.
Just over 15% of respondents said they’d appreciate AI features in the dating app world. This makes it the industry with the least amount of consumer enthusiasm for AI innovations, as compared to the industries mentioned above.
This doesn’t mean that there isn’t a demographic for AI-enhanced features on dating apps. A not-insignificant minority of surveyed users — 36.5% — said they would be more likely to choose a dating app with AI features than one without.
Users want to know that the apps they rely on to find social connections are constantly striving to innovate. In some cases, this points to AI enhancements. Knowing that the app they’re using regularly adds new features and improves performance is “very important” to 31.8% of respondents and “somewhat important” to 40.6%.
In contrast to Match Group’s comprehensive Singles in America study, Instabug found that the public’s confidence in AI is shaky at best, especially when it comes to trusting AI with their love lives: 44% of respondents aren’t convinced that AI is completely accurate, and 39% are concerned that AI isn’t ethical to use.
Instabug pointed out another major sticking point for consumers: AI’s privacy and security — or lack thereof.
52% of Respondents Are Wary of AI’s Security Abilities
Since more than half of respondents (52%) question AI’s privacy and security measures, it’s not surprising that 68% of those surveyed said they prefer to use AI for personal reasons rather than for banking or business reasons.
“Understanding and addressing these concerns is crucial to gaining user trust,” the software company noted.
This means that dating apps must take extra steps to ensure that user personal information and data are safely under lock and key.
Forty-seven percent of respondents said their number one concern on dating apps is their data security. For these consumers, transparency is everything: Knowing where their data is stored, what it’s being used for, and whether the app has had data breaches in the past goes a long way for 71% of respondents.
Instabug’s report makes it clear that the consumer’s privacy concerns and the app’s overall performance are closely related. “Mobile users demand a near-flawless experience and are not willing to tolerate poor app performance,” according to the report.
Consumers Want More Bang for Their Buck
And for 48% of respondents, sharing their data with the app is worth it if it means the app will perform better as a result. In fact, people are often more willing to share their data if it means they’ll get something from the app in return — more features (32%) and more insight into their dating app habits (30%), to name a few.
Unsurprisingly, consumers want more bang for their buck, especially as passion for dating apps continues to cool. With this in mind, it’s no wonder dating apps have been tempted by the flash and efficiency promised by AI.
Increasing user engagement is almost always an app company’s goal, and AI, with its too-good-to-be-true speed and accuracy, seems like the ideal way to keep modern daters hooked. But users need to be legitimately hooked by an authentically useful feature for any engagement spikes to have long-term benefits.
For example, 42% of respondents said they’d be willing to share their personal data if it meant receiving a more personalized experience from a dating app.
This is why Instabug noted that AI, while undoubtedly industry-changing, must be implemented in a responsible way. “Mobile teams should apply AI only where it adds a clear value and take steps to address concerns with privacy and accuracy,” the software company said.
