Hinge’s CEO is stepping down to launch Overtone, an AI-powered dating app

Hinge CEO Justin McLeod Step down From his role in launching a new AI-powered dating product called Overtone.

Match Group, the dating giant that owns apps like Hinge, Tinder and OkCupid, is backing Overtone with seed funding and plans to take a “significant ownership position,” according to a press release.

With support from Match, Overtone was incubated as a project within Hinge. McLeod and a dedicated team spent the year developing the idea for Overtone, which is described as “an early-stage dating service focused on using artificial intelligence and voice tools to help people connect in a more thoughtful and personal way.”

McLeod isn’t the only dating app founder branching out into new, independent AI experiences. said Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder of Bumble It wants to use artificial intelligence To make “the smartest and most emotionally intelligent matchmaker in the world.” The somewhat notorious, Wolf Herd Suggested Last year’s idea was singles using AI to represent themselves and date other people’s AI.

It’s not yet clear how Overtone will differentiate itself from other dating apps, which have been experimenting with AI features to compensate for the growing tightness in the market with online dating — especially among Gen. Z.

Tinder has reported nine straight quarters of declining paid subscribers and has turned to artificial intelligence with features that are supposed to help users get more matches. The hinge has been launched Another advantage of artificial intelligence Just this week it’s called “Convo Starters,” which is supposed to help daters come up with more interesting things to say than the usual small talk. Tinder and Facebook Dating have both trialled AI-powered matching to combat “swipe fatigue.”

Giving up control of the dating experience is one thing, but other attempts to incorporate AI into these apps are becoming more questionable.

Match CEO Spencer Rascoff said last month that “a key pillar of Tinder’s upcoming 2026 product experience” will be a feature called Chemistry. After obtaining user permission, the feature will be activated Access users’ camera rolls To learn more about them. (For your information, we advise against giving tech companies unrestricted access to more of your data.)

McLeod founded Hinge in 2011 as a dating app with a greater focus on building relationships rather than facilitating casual dates. The app, which is on track to generate $1 billion in revenue by 2027, was just that acquired by Match in 2019. Jackie Gantos, president and CMO of Hinge, will serve as CEO. McLeod will remain in an advisory role at Hinge through March.

This summer, TechCrunch Talk to Jantos at SXSW London on how Hinge addresses Generation Z, a growing market Increasingly disappointed With meeting people online.

“This is a generation that has grown up with a deep understanding of how digital experiences are created and what they are trying to get out of it,” Gantos told TechCrunch.

Generation Z wants transparency and authenticity from digital brands, according to Gantos. While some may see this as inherently incompatible with the company’s increasing reliance on AI, Hinge’s AI recommendations feature, which launched in March, has… 15% increase In matches and exchange of communications in the first quarter of this year.

Based on Gantos’ comments upon assuming her new role, it appears Hinge will continue to invest in these features under her leadership.

“Our focus will remain on intentional innovation grounded in culture, creativity and a deep understanding of how people communicate today,” Gantos said in a statement.