Tinder Tests AI Matching Feature “Chemistry” as Swipe Fatigue Drives User Decline

Tinder is experimenting with a new AI-driven feature called Chemistry as it tries to address a growing problem inside the dating app industry: users are tired of swiping.

The feature is currently being tested in Australia and is designed to give people an alternative to endlessly browsing profiles. Instead of relying solely on swipe-based discovery, Chemistry offers a small set of curated matches based on personal preferences, quiz responses, and optional photo analysis.

The move comes as Tinder’s parent company, Match Group, works to slow declining sign-ups and engagement, particularly among younger users.

How Chemistry Changes the Tinder Experience

Chemistry does not replace Tinder’s core swipe deck. It exists alongside it.

Users who opt in answer a series of questions about personality traits, values, and relationship preferences. Tinder also allows participants to grant access to their Camera Roll, which the system analyzes to infer interests and lifestyle signals from personal photos.

Using this combined data, the AI generates a limited number of suggested profiles that Tinder believes are more compatible than what users typically encounter through random swiping.

The idea is to reduce effort rather than increase activity. Instead of pushing users to swipe more, Chemistry aims to help them swipe less but with more intention.

Why Tinder Is Turning to AI Now

Tinder’s experiment reflects broader challenges facing dating apps.

Recent earnings results show that Tinder’s new user registrations fell year over year, while monthly active users also declined. Although the rate of decline has slowed compared to earlier periods, overall growth remains under pressure.

Executives at Match Group have identified “swipe fatigue” as a key reason users leave or disengage. Many younger users report that scrolling through hundreds of profiles feels repetitive and emotionally draining, with few meaningful outcomes.

On an earnings call, Spencer Rascoff described Chemistry as a way to give users a different mode of interaction with Tinder, one that requires less time and emotional energy to reach potential matches.

Part of a Larger AI Strategy

Chemistry is one piece of a wider AI roadmap across Tinder.

Match Group has been gradually introducing AI tools designed to improve multiple stages of the dating process. These include helping users choose better profile photos, write more authentic bios, and surface shared interests more clearly.

Future plans also include AI-assisted conversation starters and date suggestions, with the goal of preventing matches from stalling after the first message.

Rather than positioning AI as a novelty feature, Match is framing it as a long-term shift toward higher-quality interactions.

Safety and Trust Still Central

Alongside AI matching, Tinder is emphasizing safety and authenticity.

One key tool already in use is Face Check, a facial verification system that Match says has significantly reduced interactions with fake accounts and bad actors. The company views trust as especially important for Gen Z users, who are more likely to abandon platforms they see as unsafe or manipulative.

Tinder is also redesigning parts of its discovery experience to make it feel less repetitive, including new gestures and explore-style browsing options that break up the traditional swipe loop.

Can AI Fix Dating App Burnout?

The broader dating app industry is experimenting with AI at a moment when user frustration is rising. Surveys suggest that a growing share of singles already use AI tools to help with profiles or messages, but many remain skeptical that technology alone can fix deeper issues like ghosting or superficial matching.

Critics argue that layering AI onto the same engagement-driven model may not address the cultural problems that drive burnout. Supporters counter that fewer, more relevant matches could reduce emotional fatigue and make dating apps feel more human again.

For now, Chemistry is a live test rather than a finished solution. Its rollout in Australia will help determine whether AI-curated matching can meaningfully improve how people experience Tinder.

The Bigger Picture

Tinder’s Chemistry experiment reflects a larger shift underway in consumer apps. Platforms built around infinite scrolling are starting to explore ways to reduce friction rather than maximize time spent.

Whether AI-powered curation can reverse Tinder’s slowdown remains uncertain. What is clear is that Match Group sees artificial intelligence as its strongest lever to keep users engaged without asking them to swipe endlessly.

If Chemistry succeeds, it could signal a move away from pure swipe culture toward a more guided and intentional model of online dating.