Swiping left and swiping right to find your perfect match is no longer an unusual thing as we enter 2026. In fact, online dating has become so widespread that it is considered an inevitable way to meet romantic partners.
Dating has always mirrored the technology of its moment; however, this year, artificial intelligence is no longer just matching profiles, it’s aiming to reshape how people are attracted to one another, how conversations begin, and how compatibility is matched.
From AI-powered dating coaches to algorithms that predict chemistry before you even set foot on the first date, romance has never looked this tech-savvy.
As machines learn not just what we like, but why we like it, the search for love is becoming more personalised, more efficient, and more controversial than ever before. To help us all navigate this new change, HELLO! asked the experts to weigh in on just how much AI will change dating in 2026.
How is AI being used to alter the dating experience?
Artificial Intelligence has infiltrated almost everything we do, from navigation tools to emailing at work and helping us craft difficult professional messages. When it comes to dating, it is no different.
Dating and relationship expert, international matchmaker and relational psychotherapist with over ten years of experience, Sarah Louise Ryan, explained to HELLO!: "The use of AI has entered the human realm of dating at an alarming pace and is being used in many ways.
"One way is that singles are using AI as a coach in their pocket for dating advice. Other singles are using AI dating apps where there are other humans on the other end of the app, but the device uses clever functioning to provide matches that are highly optimised, at the speed at which the likes of matchmaker or offline dating service could."
She continued: "Finally, a third but quite scary use of AI is where singles are using AI to replace human connection altogether. Some people are starting to rely on the use of AI to replace the coach, the therapist, the matchmaker and even the relationship counsellor when it comes down to it.
"Over-reliance can lead to humans no longer trusting their own thoughts, opinions, decisions and becoming more fearful around humans than ever before, if not used intentionally and mindfully."
Will AI make dating safer and provide more suitable matches?
One of the main concerns people have when it comes to dating online is their safety. Virtually meeting strangers and exchanging intimate and private information with them before meeting can be a daunting endeavour. But how else are you supposed to form meaningful connections?
The arrival of AI as it relates to dating stands to change this with more in-depth screening of users and more suitable matching within the algorithms that drive the platforms we know as dating apps.
Licensed psychologist and expert in her field, Dr Michele Leno has extensively studied dating in a digital age and shared her thoughts on the introduction of AI with us.
She explained: "Considering many have already adapted to online dating apps, AI may feel like a natural transition. AI has the capacity to scan and identify a person’s preferences and habits for suitable matches and safer dating.
"AI’s sophistication will present obstacles for those attempting to match based on a facade. Once you grant AI permission to access your device, it can build a fairly accurate description of you."
The expert added: "If you are accustomed to uploading your ideal self versus who you really are, AI’s efficiency may not appeal to you. However, those seeking true compatibility will appreciate AI."
What are the red flags that come with AI-fuelled dating?
Like everything, where there are upsides, there are also downsides, and the use of AI and dating apps have their fair share of potential red flags to look out for, so you ensure you are not disappointed and are protected.
We all know that meeting someone in person is the best way to ensure true, authentic connection, but that doesn't mean it can't happen online. I met my previous partner through Hinge, a popular dating app in big cities, and many of my friends have had similar experiences.
However, it is important to do your due diligence and be smart about how you navigate connecting with virtual strangers. Always tell someone where you are going, try to get confirmation of their true identity via other social media platforms and share your location with a friend when going on dates.
Dr Michele said: "AI could also lead to a false sense of security. It may be tempting to let your guard down, believing that AI has covered safety checks. However, AI is not foolproof, and glitches are possible. Trusting your gut is always necessary."
Dating expert Sarah shared her red flags, which include:
- Over-automation of personality: If someone’s messages feel too polished, overly consistent, speedy or strangely generic, they may be using AI to run the conversation
- Avoidance of real-world, real-human interaction: If a single relies heavily on AI-generated texts to develop their responses or delays meeting for a date, it may signal insecurity or deception
- Deception: Try to meet someone in person fairly quickly so you can make a human decision about how you feel about them. If someone delays meeting, this could mean they aren’t who they say they are or aren’t available to be who they truly are in real life
- Deep Fake profiles or altered images: This can be hard to see with the human eye, but not impossible to spot. AI-enhanced photos or touched-up photos in general can misrepresent appearance, sometimes significantly
- Data privacy concerns: Some apps collect highly intimate emotional and behavioural data about users. Users should be intentional about what they are sharing about themselves and with which app or person behind a profile
- Emotional dependency on AI coaches: If someone trusts AI more than their own feelings, that’s a long-term relational risk. If you notice a different pacing in their communication IRL or a different vibe to their online communication on a date in person, it could be that they have had some assistance to communicate effectively online, which again, isn’t true to how they are in the real world.
How can AI help dating?
While some issues could arise with the introduction of AI to the world of dating, there are plenty of ways that artificial intelligence can enhance and improve users' experience when it comes to chatting on apps.
From providing better prompts to get the conversation going to screening profiles to check compatibility before you waste hours chatting to a match that will never blossom into anything, it could be the fix your app needs. Some of the ways it can improve dating include:
- Profile optimisation: AI helps users choose photos that convey the right message, write bios, and highlight traits that resonate most with the people they’re likely to match with
- Smarter matching: AI looks past basic filters like age or location and analyses behaviour, such as who you message and how long conversations last, to predict real compatibility
- Better first conversations: It can suggest opening lines, help rewrite messages to sound clearer or warmer, and flag messages that might come across as awkward or too intense
- Time and emotional energy saving: By filtering out poor matches and guiding interactions, AI can help people spend less time swiping and more time connecting, which will reduce burnout and the chance of ghosting
- Confidence-boosting dating coach: From practising conversations to getting feedback on texting habits, AI can act like a low-pressure dating coach