Tinder Tests AI-Powered 'Chemistry' Feature That Analyzes Users' Camera Roll Photos

Tinder to use AI to get to know users, tap into their Camera Roll photos

Tinder is looking to AI to revitalize its dating app, which has now reported nine straight quarters of paying subscriber declines, as of the third quarter this year. The dating app maker, Match Group, told investors on Tuesday's earnings call that Tinder is testing a feature called Chemistry that will get to know users through questions and, with permission, will access Camera Roll photos on users' phones to learn more about their interests and personality. The feature is already being piloted in New Zealand and Australia, and will be a "major pillar of Tinder's upcoming 2026 product experience," said Match Group CEO Spencer Rascoff. Match isn't alone in requesting access to users' private Camera Roll photos. Meta also launched a feature last month that asks to use its AI on photos on your phone that you haven't yet shared in order to suggest AI edits. In both cases, the benefits to the end user for permitting this kind of expanded access are negligible. In Match's case, the company says it will engage users with interactive questions and learn more about them using AI technology so it can recommend better, more compatible matches. Presumably, that would look something like this: if you had photos of yourself outside hiking or climbing, you might be matched with someone who shared the same outdoor hobbies. While the company experiments with Tinder, Match's bottom line is taking a hit. Its fourth-quarter guidance includes a $14 million negative impact on Tinder's direct revenue as a result of the product testing, Match said. This, alongside other dating industry trends, has pulled down Match's Q4 guidance to land somewhere between $865 million and $875 million, while analysts were expecting $884.2 million. The company is using AI in other areas, as well, including in an LLM-powered system where Tinder nudges users before they send potentially offensive messages, asking them, "Are you sure?" It also uses AI to help users pick their best photos. AI isn't the only thing Tinder is trying to boost subscribers and engagement, however. The company has rolled out other features, like dating "modes," double dates, facial verification, and redesigned profiles, which feature bio information on the first photo card and prompts integrated into the photo carousel. Despite the product changes, Tinder faces a tough market where some young people are leaning away from online dating in favor of more real-world experiences, while online daters in the U.S. may be spending less as their disposable income shrinks, as the country flirts with recession. Match reported in Q3 that Tinder's revenue declined 3% year-over-year, and it saw a 7% decline in paying users. Overall, Match's revenue and earnings were largely in line with estimates, with revenue up 2% to $914.2 million, versus an expected $915 million, and EPS of 62 cents (profit of $160.8 million), versus an expected 63 cents.

Tinder's AI can find better matches by scanning your camera roll

Tinder is testing an AI-powered "Chemistry" feature that learns about your interests and personality by analyzing your camera roll. In its latest earnings report, the dating app's parent company, Match Group, described it as an interactive matching feature that's designed to combat "swipe fatigue" by surfacing fewer, more compatible matches. Chemistry requires the user's permission to access camera roll photos, and will also ask "interactive questions" to get to know users better. Match says this is a "major pillar of Tinder's upcoming 2026 product experience," and that the feature is already live in New Zealand and Australia, with plans to expand to additional countries in the coming months. Giving an app's AI free rein to look through photos on your device feels a little invasive, even if the feature is opt-in only. Match Group has introduced this and other AI features in an effort to encourage Tinder users to stick with the app, which has suffered a decline in paying subscribers for more than two years.

Tinder will use AI to analyze your photos and personality to improve matches

Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. The takeaway: Tinder is experiencing a steady decline in subscribers, and its owner, Match Group, is turning to AI to try to get the app back on track. Several AI-powered features are coming soon, so privacy-conscious users should be prepared to adapt to the new normal. Tinder will soon leverage generative AI and related technologies to enhance its dating app, aiming to attract users back with new experiences. One AI feature is already being tested by Tinder users in New Zealand and Australia. Match Group CEO Spencer Rascoff said it will become one of the main "pillars" of Tinder's product experience in 2026. Match unveiled the update during its latest report to investors and shareholders. The AI feature, called "Chemistry," is designed to "revitalize" the Tinder experience by better understanding individual users. Chemistry will access photos stored in a smartphone's Camera Roll, analyzing them to extract relevant information about the owner. The feature will work alongside a series of interactive questions to gain deeper insights into users. Together, these tools aim to help Tinder learn more about personal traits, interests, hobbies, and specific preferences for activities, ultimately allowing for more meaningful matches. Users will need to grant Tinder permission to access their Camera Roll, which should help keep Chemistry from being overly invasive from a privacy standpoint. Beyond Chemistry, the app is expanding its use of generative AI across other aspects of the dating experience. For example, a large language model now warns users when they attempt to send potentially offensive messages to a match - and that's just the beginning. Tinder is also rolling out more traditional improvements. Planned updates include new dating "modes," facial recognition features, a redesigned profile interface, and other tools aimed at boosting subscriber numbers and engagement. Investor data shows that Tinder experienced a three percent year-over-year revenue decline and a seven percent drop in paying users during the third quarter. Match Group's overall revenue still rose two percent to $914.2 million, but the company plans to spend $14 million in the fourth quarter testing the new AI features. Tinder is not alone in betting on generative AI to reinvigorate online dating. Meta is pursuing similar technology for its Facebook Dating service. However, this AI push may be too little, too late. Users' dating and social habits are evolving, and growing economic pressures mean many people in the US and elsewhere have less disposable income to spend on subscription-based dating apps.

Tinder is Testing AI Features That Look Through Your Camera Roll

Tinder is testing a new AI-powered feature that looks at the photos on your camera roll in an effort to find you better matches, according to an announcement from parent company Match Group. And while that might sounds like a rather invasive way to find a match, the dating app notes that it's opt-in and will hopefully combat what it calls "swipe fatigue." The feature is called Chemistry and was announced by Match Group CEO Spencer Rascoff during an earnings call on Tuesday. The AI asks users interactive questions and seeks to find out what matters to a given user the most. "Powered by AI, this interactive matching featureâ€"a major part of Tinder’s upcoming 2026 product experienceâ€"gets to know users through fun, conversational prompts and, with permission, learns from their camera roll to better understand their interests and personality," the company said in a prepared statement published online. Gizmodo hasn't tested the feature yet, but the company is clearly stressing that it will only look through your camera roll if users give it permission to do just that. The Tinder app has gotten a refresh for Apple's Liquid Glass on iOS and the company thinks that its new AI experiments will help improve the user experience. "Using deep learning, Chemistry aims to reduce dating app fatigue by surfacing a few highly relevant profiles each dayâ€"driving more compatible matches and more engaging conversations," a Tinder spokesperson told Gizmodo via email. The AI feature is currently being tested in Australia and New Zealand. The company has plans to roll out the feature to additional countries "in the coming months," but it's not clear yet when that might include the U.S. Aside from Chemistry, Tinder is also experimenting with other features, like a new Modes navigation, which was launched in September. Users can choose things like College Mode, which includes meeting new people with a friend in their college community or Double Date Mode, which lets you match with other pairs. Tinder reports that Double Date has been popular, particularly in Europe and with Gen Z more broadly. The app is also reportedly being improved on the tech side of things, with Android startup times 38% faster and crash rates reduced by 32%, according to Match. The company also claims that app stability on iOS has improved considerably.

Tinder Wants to See Your Photos to Find Better Matches

Tinder is testing a new AI feature called 'Chemistry', which learns information about a user by analyzing photos from their camera roll. It aims to improve how users connect on the app by offering fewer, more compatible matches. Chemistry is already available in New Zealand and Australia and will expand to additional markets in the coming months. The company describes it as "a major pillar of Tinder's upcoming 2026 product experience," designed to address "swipe fatigue" among users who feel overwhelmed by endless profiles. "Chemistry aims to reduce dating app fatigue by surfacing a few highly relevant profiles each day -- driving more compatible matches and more engaging conversations," a Tinder spokesperson tells Mashable. While the feature is opt-in, the idea of allowing an app to review personal photos raises privacy concerns. The Match Group, Tinder's parent company, argues that the technology will make the app more engaging by using AI to identify patterns and preferences. For instance, users with hiking or travel photos might be matched with others who share similar hobbies. Tinder isn't the only platform to try this: Meta has also begun experimenting with scanning users' private photos by requesting access so that it can help people find "shareworthy" photos. Meta has also tested an AI-powered photo tool that will suggest edits by "cloud processing" users' images. The move comes as Tinder faces challenges with user retention and revenue. TechCrunch reports that Tinder's revenue declined 3% year-over-year in the third quarter, and paying subscribers dropped 7%. The company also projected a $14 million negative impact on Tinder's direct revenue due to ongoing product testing. Overall, Match expects fourth-quarter revenue between $865 million and $875 million, below analyst expectations of $884.2 million. Match is also using AI in other areas of its platform. Tinder now employs a large language model-based system that intervenes when users attempt to send potentially offensive messages, prompting them with "Are you sure?" The app also offers an AI photo selection tool that helps users choose their most appealing profile pictures. Beyond AI, Tinder has introduced new features such as dating "modes," double-date options, facial verification, and redesigned profiles that highlight bios and prompts more prominently. Despite these updates, the broader dating app market remains challenging. Many younger users are shifting toward offline dating experiences, and tighter budgets in the U.S. have also reduced spending on subscription-based services.

Tinder is testing an AI matching feature called Chemistry

Tinder is testing a new AI matching feature called Chemistry, its parent company, Match Group, told investors on Tuesday during its third quarter earnings call. The dating app's interactive feature is "a major part of Tinder's upcoming 2026 product experience," a Tinder spokesperson told Mashable. Chemistry will get to know users through conversational prompts and (with permission) their camera roll to learn about their interests and personality. It's currently live in Australia and New Zealand, and Tinder plans to roll it out in more countries in the coming months. The announcement comes soon after Tinder started requiring facial scans for new U.S. users last month. It also launched several other features this year, like Modes, which lets users arrange double dates or indicate if they're a college student. This also isn't Tinder's first foray into AI features. The app launched an AI photo selector tool last year, which also assesses a user's camera roll, this time for the purpose of picking the best photos. Tinder also uses AI for trust and safety tools, like scans for potentially harmful messages. "Chemistry aims to reduce dating app fatigue by surfacing a few highly relevant profiles each day -- driving more compatible matches and more engaging conversations," Tinder's spokesperson said over email. Dating app fatigue is a phenomenon that Tinder and other apps have had to contend with over the last few years, as trust in dating apps has declined while singles increasingly want to meet potential partners in person. As daters seek offline connections, dating apps have leaned more and more into AI features. Match's third-quarter earnings call also reported that Tinder's direct revenue and paying users are both down year-over-year (three percent and seven percent, respectively). Hinge, meanwhile, is up in both metrics (direct revenue increased 27 percent and paying users increased 17 percent year-over-year), continuing the same story as in quarter two: as Tinder struggles, Hinge is on the rise.

Tinder's latest AI feature wants a peek at your camera roll to help you find better matches

Looks like Tinder is taking a page from Facebook's AI playbook. What's happened? Tinder is testing a new AI-powered feature, called Chemistry, that can access photos in your camera roll to offer more compatible match recommendations. Match Group, the dating app's parent company, revealed during its latest earnings call that the feature can learn about your interests and personality by analyzing your photos and asking a few interactive questions to show better matches and alleviate "swipe fatigue." The company is currently testing the feature in Australia and New Zealand, but plans to expand availability to more regions in the coming months. The announcement comes shortly after Tinder introduced another AI tool that uses a video selfie for identity verification. Why is this important? Tinder aims to offer users a more meaningful swiping experience by analyzing their photos for lifestyle and personality cues. Chemistry marks a shift from quantity to quality, and could reduce the time users spend endlessly swiping by surfacing more compatible profiles. The feature also reflects a broader trend of apps leveraging on-device content for new AI features. For example, Facebook recently introduced a feature that analyzes photos and videos in the camera roll to suggest creative edits or offer sharing recommendations. Recommended Videos Why should I care? If you're tired of all the swiping, Chemistry could help you find more meaningful connections. However, since the feature gives Tinder access to your camera roll, it naturally raises privacy and data security concerns. Thankfully, the feature is opt-in, so you can choose not to use it if you're uncomfortable with the idea of Tinder profiling you or gaining access to private images. What's next? Tinder is expected to share more details about how the Chemistry feature works before a wider rollout. The company will likely outline exactly how user images are processed, stored, and safeguarded to address privacy and security concerns. Until it does, it may be wise to steer clear of the feature to avoid the potential risk of data exposure or unintended access to sensitive images. Via: TechCrunch

Tinder's Big AI Feature Release for 2026 Comes With Major Privacy Concern

Before analysing the user's camera roll, it will seek permission Tinder is currently testing a new artificial intelligence (AI) feature that is designed to combat users' swipe fatigue in finding relevant matches. The feature, dubbed Chemistry, can look through the user's camera roll after gaining permission, and based on the pictures, can suggest "highly relevant profiles" every day. The Match Group-owned platform calls this feature a major pillar for 2026; however, in application, it might raise some privacy concerns. Based on how it is implemented, users may not be able to protect sensitive and private images from being processed by the company's AI. Tinder Is Currently Testing Chemistry The new feature was first unveiled during Match Group's third quarterly earnings call with investors. According to the prepared remarks, Chemistry was introduced as a "major pillar of Tinder's upcoming 2026 product experience." It is an AI-powered interactive matching feature that uses multiple ways to know the user and find relevant matches for them. Based on the company's description, it learns about the user via interactive questions and by analysing their camera roll. Match Group highlights that it will seek explicit permission from the user before it can access the camera roll. After collecting data, it is said to use deep learning to suggest "a few" highly relevant profiles each day. The goal of this Tinder feature is to prevent swipe fatigue in users. Swipe fatigue occurs when a dating app user swipes for long durations to find a relevant match, but the surfacing profiles are not up to their preference. The company says Chemistry will drive more compatible matches and engaging conversations. It is currently live in Australia and New Zealand, and will be expanded to more countries in the months to come. On the surface, it appears to be exactly the kind of feature that can change a user's entire experience of the app. However, based on how it is implemented, it can raise privacy concerns. If users cannot prevent the AI from scanning sensitive or private photos, then there's a risk that these photos can be leaked from Tinder's servers. Additionally, if the company's employees can access these images or if the photos are stored on the servers indefinitely, that also increases the privacy risk. However, Tinder's safety measures will be clear only after the feature has been officially announced by the dating app.