- Hinge’s new Convo Starters feature uses AI to suggest personalized opening lines between matches
- The suggestions are based on user profiles, but the actual message must be composed by a human
- The tool is designed to boost confidence and help users send more thoughtful first messages
Hinge is taking a swing at employing AI to help solve that awkward moment in modern dating where you have to actually message a match. The app’s new Convo Starters feature uses AI to serve up personalized suggestions for what to say to someone after you “like” their profile.
Instead of staring at a blank text box and writing “hey” for the millionth time, daters now see three tailored prompts that could nudge them toward something thoughtful and specific, something worth replying to.
The opening line is crucial. According to Hinge’s data, likes accompanied by a comment lead to dates about twice as often as those without a comment. If you feel too awkward or intimidated to say anything, you might miss your chance. Convo Starters reads the profile of the user they are reacting to and offers ideas based on the photos or written prompts on the other person’s page.
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Hinge stresses that these suggestions are not pre‑written messages. The AI doesn’t hand you a sentence to paste, just topics to riff on that research shows are often successful. The app’s team of behavioral scientists helped define what makes an opener successful.
Usually, it’s questions that invite dialogue or comments that show genuine curiosity, and the generative model adapts those insights to each profile. Early testing showed that 35% of users felt more confident reaching out when they saw the suggestions, and people overall sent more comments with their likes.
(Image credit: Hinge)
This may seem like a small tweak in an already crowded era of dating‑app features, but it shows how AI is becoming more visible in dating apps. Instead of just suggesting matches, optimizing profiles, and detecting bots, AI is stepping directly into the conversation.
Most of the world is not composed of people who can craft a disarming yet charming opener at a moment’s notice. A boost that doesn’t take over is exactly what Hinge is using AI to supply through Convo Starters. And for every romantic purist who insists first messages should be organic, there are a dozen exhausted daters quietly relieved to have at least a hint of where to begin.
AI dating assistance
This tension is visible across the dating world. Tinder has experimented with AI profile helpers and even AI chat “practice partners.” Bumble is building recommendation AI into its identity. Smaller apps are exploring compatibility prediction systems and automated red‑flag detection. The common thread is that dating apps are no longer just matchmakers; they are becoming coaches and assistants.
Convo Starters also represents Hinge’s latest move toward deeper, more expressive profiles. The new Prompt Feedback tool was designed to help people reveal more meaningful details about themselves.
Now, Hinge is turning that AI support toward the conversation, encouraging users to recognize something specific in one another rather than relying on generic openers that blend together over time.
More matches might turn into actual exchanges. People may hesitate less and start talking more. The AI might lead users to strike a spark that wouldn’t exist otherwise. AI won’t fix dating; nothing will, but it might smooth out the bumpy opening stage.
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