Swipe-right fatigue and awkward first messages may soon meet their match. Dating app Hinge today rolled out a new AI-powered tool called Convo Starters, designed to help users craft more thoughtful, personalized opening messages.
Many Hinge users dread sending that first message. What begins as a hopeful «like» often ends in silence when the other person fails to follow up. To tackle this problem, Hinge looked to behavioral data. The company’s research found that 72% of daters are more likely to consider someone when a «like» is accompanied by a message. Messages with comments, rather than just likes, are twice as likely to lead to an actual date.
Convo Starters uses generative AI to analyze a person’s profile — both photos and prompts — then suggests three tailored ideas for starting a conversation. Suggestions might focus on shared interests, ask a thoughtful question or prompt deeper discussion.
In early testing, more than a third of users said the feature made them feel more confident reaching out. Overall, Hinge saw an increase in the number of comments submitted with likes.
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How Convo Starters works
When you tap «like» on someone’s profile, Convo Starters may show up beneath a photo or prompt. You’ll see up to three personalized, AI-generated suggestions inspired by that person’s profile content. From there, you write the first message in your own voice and send the like. Convo Starters doesn’t spit out prewritten messages for you to copy and paste.
«Let them know what caught your eye or mention how their prompt connects to your own life,» said Logan Ury, a relationship scientist for Hinge. «That small effort signals real interest, helps you stand out and sets you up for a great conversation.»
Don’t want AI suggesting what to say to a potential date? The feature is optional and can be turned off in settings.
Read also: AI Is Here to Save Dating Apps… or Make Them Worse
Why this matters for daters
Hinge isn’t a fringe dating app. According to recent estimates, the platform has roughly 30 million users worldwide. This rollout suggests Hinge is doubling down on its positioning as «the relationship app» rather than a hookup platform.
With Convo Starters, Hinge appears to be banking on the idea that many users don’t just want matches, but rather meaningful connections. By improving those first messages, the app may help more people turn a match into a genuine conversation, and, perhaps, a genuine date.
«We’ve heard from daters that not knowing what to say can hold them back from sending a comment at all,» said Jackie Jantos, president and CMO at Hinge. «With Convo Starters, we’re easing that pressure.»
However, it also reflects a larger trend: as online dating becomes ubiquitous, apps are turning to AI to solve communication issues, such as unanswered messages, ghosting and bland introductions.