Match Group's dating app Hinge has officially launched the AI-powered feature "Convo Starters," designed to address the awkward silence of "liking but not talking": every time a user likes a photo or prompt, the system automatically generates three personalized conversation starters below the photo/prompt, which can be sent directly or edited again. The new feature has been rolled out to global iOS/Android users.

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How does AI help break the ice?

Visual + text input: AI reads the other person's photo and prompt → outputs scenario-based conversation starters

Example: If the other person's photo is of playing international chess, the system suggests

① "Do you prefer fast chess or slow chess?"

② "Which move in chess do you think is most like life?"

③ "Teach me a little trick!"

Real-time refresh: Generates new conversation starters each time a like, avoiding repeated phrases

Data validation: Likes with comments = 2x dating probability

Hinge internal research: 72% of users are more likely to respond to "likes with comments"; dating success rate doubles for users who add comments compared to pure likes

Gen Z pain point: Bloomberg survey shows that users aged 18-24 have the lowest comfort level with "AI-written messages"; therefore, Hinge sets Convo Starters as an "optional expansion" and does not force sending

Match Group's AI wallet

The parent company plans to invest $20-30 million in 2025 for AI features, including image semantic analysis, multilingual conversation starters, and safety reviews

Technology stack: Microsoft Azure OpenAI GPT-4o mini + custom visual encoder, latency < 200ms, inference cost 40% lower than human review

Next step: Prompt Feedback → Convo Starters → ?

The previously launched "Prompt Feedback" uses AI to help users rewrite their profiles; Convo Starters is its extension on the conversation side

roadmap: Q1 2025 testing "AI dating coach" - analyzing chat history → giving style suggestions; Q2 plans to launch one-click generation of "safe exit phrases" to reduce the cost of awkward departures

Industry signal: AI moves from "filter" to "script"