As people turn to AI to help them write dating messages, some are seeing positive results. However, experts warn that recipients may feel deceived and question the authenticity.
Dmitry, a 35-year-old from Miami, stared at the profile of a woman he matched with on a dating app, unsure how to initiate a conversation. So for help, he opened Rizz, an AI-powered app that bills itself as a pocket dating assistant.
After sending screenshots of his match’s profile — which mentions her love of ski slopes, summer concerts and a great bottle of wine — Dmitry (who asked to be referred to by his first name only to protect his privacy) prompted Rizz to generate a smooth opening line. The results were immediate. “I’m into all of those activities,” he messaged, at Rizz’s suggestion. “Now the hard part is to figure out which one would be the perfect first date.”
“Rizz gives me some quirky, funny responses,” Dmitry says of the app, which he credits with helping him progress out of the talking stage and into in-person dates. “It helps me spark a conversation with something a little bit interesting that will get their attention.”
A new crop of AI-powered tools is emerging as an on-demand wingman for people trying to navigate online dating — helping users craft replies, optimize profiles, or even decide when to move on. Although this emerging trend is a game-changer for some, dating and relationship experts warn it risks replacing authenticity with automation.
Rizz, a colloquial term that is short for charisma, currently has 15 million users globally on its mobile and web apps, the company says, with monthly subscriptions costing $19.99. The company declined to provide information on the number of paid subscribers. “I want Rizz to make conversation more natural, more human, right?” Roman Khaves, the app’s founder, says. “I want it to help you get off the apps faster and get to where dating actually happens.”
More people may be on the receiving end of AI-generated messages than they realize. Just over a quarter of U.S. adults — including nearly half of Gen Z — are using AI to filter matches and write messages, according to a recent survey by the Kinsey Institute and Match Group (which owns Tinder, Hinge, and several other online dating platforms).
Another app that hopeful daters turn to is YourMove AI, which offers AI dating assistants that help users craft dating profiles, respond to matches, and even enhance their photos for $12.99 per month.
Dmitri Mirakyan, the founder of YourMove AI, says he created the platform in 2022 for people who are shy, feel socially awkward, or struggle to navigate what he calls the weird dynamics on dating apps. “It feels so transactional … the rates of rejection, people just don’t reply, people are ghosting,” he says. “It still feels mentally painful.”
While such apps have helped users like Dmitry progress to in-person dates, they also raise a paradox: Can something artificial really foster authenticity? For some, the answer becomes clear the moment the conversation starts to seem just a little too polished.
