Bumble has dropped its requirement for women to make the first move and plans to replace swiping, signalling a wider attempt by dating apps to respond to user dissatisfaction and “swipe fatigue”. The changes matter because Bumble was founded on those features as a safer alternative to Tinder, while the industry now faces falling engagement, financial pressure and doubts about whether its traditional model still works.

Dating apps are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence: Grindr is becoming “AI-first”, Tinder is testing an AI system called Chemistry, Bumble is developing a matchmaking assistant named Bee, and London startup Fate uses AI interviews instead of profile browsing. However, researchers warn that companies may be misreading users’ concerns, including unease about AI entering intimate relationships, uncertainty over whether conversations are genuine, and suspicion that apps prioritise monetising time spent over forming successful matches.