Hinge CEO Jackie Jantos Says UK 20-Somethings Need AI for Dating App Confidence
Jackie Jantos, the CEO of dating application Hinge, has asserted that UK adults in their twenties are increasingly reliant on artificial intelligence (AI) to commence conversations on dating platforms. Jantos contends that this demographic, often termed Gen Z, exhibits reduced confidence in self-presentation compared to older generations, primarily due to diminished in-person social engagement.
AI Features Defended as Confidence Boosters
Jantos defended Hinge's integrated AI features, which generate prompts for initiating dialogue with matches and offer profile optimisation suggestions. She clarified that these tools are intended to facilitate self-expression and bolster user confidence, rather than to replace genuine interaction or automate communication entirely. The platform’s slogan, 'designed to be deleted', is maintained as a commitment to fostering long-term relationships, contrary to suggestions it is merely a marketing ploy.
Hinge, owned by Match Group, has observed continued growth in its UK user base. Ipsos iris data indicates that 1.5 million adults utilised Hinge in the year leading up to May 2025, an increase from 1.4 million the preceding year. This contrasts with Tinder, the traditionally dominant dating application, which saw its audience fall from 1.9 million to 1.5 million over the same period, bringing it only marginally ahead of Hinge.
Social Isolation and Pandemic Impact
Jantos highlighted that Gen Z, constituting over half of Hinge’s monthly active users, spends approximately 1,000 fewer hours annually in direct social contact compared to their counterparts two decades prior. This equates to over two hours daily spent in isolation, often engaged with mobile devices, contributing to widespread feelings of loneliness among young adults in the UK. She further posited that the Covid pandemic interrupted crucial formative years for social and intimate experimentation among many young adults.
Dr. Carolina Bandinelli, an associate professor at the University of Warwick specialising in dating and communication, corroborated the pandemic's impact on Gen Z dating habits, noting a perception that dating applications became the primary method for meeting people. However, Bandinelli expressed scepticism regarding the efficacy of these platforms, suggesting they have not delivered on promises of an 'infinite pool of strangers' or protection from rejection, often leading to 'dating app burnout'.
Matchmaking services are also observing this trend. Siobhan Copland, founder of Cupid in the City, noted a preference among young professionals for 'quality connections over quantity' and a shift away from traditional drinking culture, with many choosing fitness activities over bars on weekends.
