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A quick swipe right and awkward first messages may soon lead to them meeting their match. Dating app Hinge Today rolled new An AI-powered tool called Convo Startersdesigned to help users craft more detailed and personalized opening messages.
Many Hinge users dread sending that first message. What begins as a hopeful “like” often ends in silence when the other person fails to follow through. To address this problem, Heng looked to behavioral data. The company’s research found that 72% of people are more likely to think of someone when a ‘like’ is accompanied by a message. Messages with comments, not just likes, are twice as likely to lead to an actual date.
Convo Starters uses generative AI to analyze a person’s profile — both photos and prompts — and then suggests three personalized ideas to start a conversation. Suggestions may focus on shared interests, ask a thoughtful question, or encourage deeper discussion.
In early testing, more than a third of users said this feature made them feel more confident communicating. Overall, Hinge has seen an increase in the number of comments submitted with likes.
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How Convo Starters works
When you click “Like” on someone’s profile, Convo Starters may appear below a photo or prompt. You’ll see up to three AI-generated personalized suggestions inspired by that person’s profile content. From there, you write the first message in your voice and send the like. Convo Starters does not send pre-written messages for you to copy and paste.
“Let them know what caught your attention or mention how their claim relates to your own life,” said Logan Ury, a relationship scientist at Hinge. “This small effort indicates genuine interest, helps you stand out and sets you up for a great conversation.”
Don’t you want AI to suggest what you would say to a potential date? The feature is optional and can be turned off in settings.
Read also: AI is here to save dating apps… or make them worse
Why is this important for the data?
Hinge is not a fringe dating app. According to recent estimatesThe platform has nearly 30 million users around the world. This rollout signals that Hinge is doubling down on its positioning as a “relationship app” rather than a hookup platform.
With Convo Starters, Hinge seems to be banking on the idea that many users don’t just want matches, they want meaningful connections. By improving those first messages, the app may help more people turn a match into a real conversation, and maybe a real date.
“We’ve heard from data that not knowing what they’re saying can prevent them from sending a comment at all,” said Jackie Gantos, president and chief marketing officer at Hinge. “With Convo Starters, we are relieving that pressure.”
However, it also reflects a larger trend: As online dating becomes more ubiquitous, apps are turning to AI to solve communication issues, like missed messages and cute introductions.