Survey finds many Gen Z users turn to AI chatbots for dating advice

In short: Many Gen Z adults are using generative AI chatbots to get help with dating and relationships, and the results can be both helpful and risky.

What's going on

A Match survey found that nearly half of Gen Z uses AI chatbots for dating and relationship advice. Other data suggests about 32% of young adults use these tools for personal life advice, including relationships.

People use chatbots in practical ways. They ask them to draft opening messages, rewrite texts to sound nicer, and role-play a tough conversation (like practicing lines before a job interview). Some also use chatbots to think through breakups, spot potential warning signs, or decide what to say when ending things.

Common tools include ChatGPT, which can give quick, general advice and is available at any hour, and other chatbot apps that focus more on companionship. Some newer services try to analyze your actual message history to point out patterns, like a coach reviewing game footage.

What to watch

Researchers say the effects are mixed. Some users report feeling less lonely, less judged, and more confident talking to people offline. But studies also link heavy use to higher loneliness for some people, less real-world socializing, and emotional dependency, where the chatbot starts to feel like a replacement for human support. A key question is whether these tools stay a short-term helper, or become a stand-in for real relationships.

Source: NYTimes