Back when I was single, I had one rule about dating profiles on apps: anyone I liked had to have written something on their bio. Nobody is beautiful enough to be interesting to me based on looks alone.
Of course, having this standard means that I held myself to it, too – and as a writer, it felt essential that I crafted the perfect dating app profile that reflected who I am and ensured that all of my best parts were shining.
So imagine my horror, my hurt, my disgust, when I found out that my partner actually just swiped right on me because he thought I was hot.
He wasn’t worried about me loving cats, old man pubs and books. He just saw my face and thought “why not?”. He maintains to this day that this is completely acceptable and in fact, the point of these apps.
However, new research from Mecca Games might just be my ticket to winning this six-year long debate.
Researchers sought to find out just how easy it is to detect a dating profile written by artificial intelligence and, even more so, how much attention people pay to these seemingly well-crafted descriptions.
Mecca Games used dating profiles contributed by volunteers and then challenged AI to write a desirable dating bio. Once this was done, the researchers compared the success of the AI profile with real-life profiles.
Women are more interested in what a dating profile actually says
The study found that women were 78% more likely to swipe right on a human-generated bio compared to AI, while only 17% of men were — something the researchers say suggests that men aren’t as invested in what a dating profile says.
So, really, neither of us have been proven wrong. Gutted.
AI bios aren’t the way forward, suggests therapist
Discussing the research, relationship coach and psychotherapist Alex Lemanowka suggests racing to AI to write a dating profile for you isn’t the answer if you want a lasting relationship.
“To build a healthy and fulfilling relationship, a ‘good’ match is essential,” says the therapist.
“This requires deep self-awareness, understanding our mental health, life goals, expectations, and boundaries. Opening up and showing vulnerability while being unapologetically ourselves are key elements of genuine connection.”
Lemanowka suggests AI currently lacks the capability to grasp this level of human understanding, “which is why it is crucial for us to approach our dating lives personally and present ourselves authentically.”
Personally, I’d rather you were clumsily earnest in describing yourself than perfectly polished with the help of AI.