Tinder is testing a new AI-powered feature called Chemistry as it looks to address slowing growth and user burnout from endless swiping. The feature, which is currently live in Australia, uses artificial intelligence to analyze users’ answers to questions and, with permission, photos from their Camera Roll to generate a small number of highly targeted match recommendations. Match Group CEO Spencer Rascoff discussed the feature during the company’s Q4 earnings call this week, describing it as an effort to reduce what the company calls “swipe fatigue.”
Chemistry is designed to change how people discover matches on Tinder. Instead of presenting a continuous stream of profiles, the feature offers “just a single drop or two” of recommendations at a time, according to Rascoff. Users participate by answering prompts and optionally allowing Tinder to analyze images from their phone, which the company says helps build a more complete personality profile than profile photos alone.
The test comes as Tinder’s core metrics continue to decline. Monthly active users fell 9% year over year in the fourth quarter, while new registrations dropped 5%, figures Match executives have attributed to frustration with repetitive swiping and low-quality matches. While the declines were slightly better than in earlier quarters, they highlight the pressure on Tinder’s long-standing discovery model.
Match Group reported $878 million in Q4 revenue and 83 cents in earnings per share, beating Wall Street expectations, but issued weak forward guidance that initially sent shares lower. Investors have been pressing the company for signs that new product changes can stabilize engagement and reverse user churn, particularly at Tinder, which remains Match’s largest brand.
Chemistry builds on other AI-driven changes Tinder has already introduced, including experiments with how profiles are ordered and surfaced to users. Match has said those adjustments have led to incremental improvements in retention, though the company has not shared detailed data. Chemistry represents a more significant shift by directly limiting choice rather than trying to optimize the existing swipe feed.
The feature also expands the scope of data Tinder can use to inform matches. Camera Roll access is optional, but it allows the app to look beyond carefully selected profile photos. Match executives have framed that tradeoff as necessary to improve relevance and trust, especially as the company works to appeal to younger users who have expressed growing dissatisfaction with traditional dating apps.
For now, Chemistry remains limited to Australia, and Rascoff did not provide a timeline for a wider rollout. The company said it wants to see stronger signals from early testing before expanding the feature more broadly. With paying subscriber declines continuing to weigh on the business, Tinder is betting that AI-driven matchmaking can make discovery feel more intentional — and keep users from burning out on the swipe.
This analysis is based on reporting from techbuzz.
Image courtesy of Unsplash.
This article was generated with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy and quality.
