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Tinder Wants AI To Set You Up On a Date (bbc.com)

Dave Lee, writing for BBC: Tinder is growing up. It's now a serious technology company tackling one of life's most important matters, and is by far the most popular dating app worldwide. After a lot of boardroom musical chairs, Mr Rad is the chairman of both Tinder and Swipe Ventures, the arm of the company designed to buy other dating-related technologies. One of which is artificial intelligence. And its collision with dating might be the most intriguing application of AI yet. "I think this might sound crazy," Mr Rad said on Tuesday at tech conference Start-Up Grind. "In five years time, Tinder might be so good, you might be like "Hey [Apple voice assistant] Siri, what's happening tonight?' "And Tinder might pop up and say 'There's someone down the street you might be attracted to. She's also attracted to you. She's free tomorrow night. We know you both like the same band, and it's playing -- would you like us to buy you tickets?'... and you have a match. "It's a little scary."

135 comments

  1. this is great! by turkeydance · · Score: 1

    i must tell my wife! hooray!

    1. Re:this is great! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      *wifi

    2. Re:this is great! by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      i must tell my wife! hooray!

      Mine said fine as long as dhe has equal access.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    3. Re:this is great! by serviscope_minor · · Score: 1

      i must tell my wife! hooray!

      There you go, then, it's a problem easy to solve with AI. I'd give the right match first time nearly 50% of the time. Sounds impressive, no?

      --
      SJW n. One who posts facts.
    4. Re:this is great! by torkus · · Score: 2

      Don't bother...Siri/Alexa/Google already have let her know and put her in touch with a good lawyer.

      --
      You can get rich if you own a politician, but you have to be rich to buy one in the first place.
    5. Re:this is great! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      *wifi

      Waifu maybe? Not everybody on slashdot is completely asocial.

      CAPTCHA: decency

  2. First by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hello? Where's my date?

    1. Re:First by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Try this. You can actually choose from multiple.

  3. Great, and you thought it was full of bots already by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Now Tinder itself is a bot.

  4. How is that scary? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    For the millionth time, just because someone has a nice picture and you like the same band means jack shit to any sort of real life potential.

    1. Re:How is that scary? by avgjoe62 · · Score: 1

      Yes, true, but how will you know that if you don't date and see if they might be a potential long term partner? All the attractive picture and common interests do is establish a basis for setting up a date. It doesn't mean that things are going to work out great just because you both like acoustic guitar groups...

      --

      How come Slashdot never gets Slashdotted?

    2. Re:How is that scary? by chispito · · Score: 1

      For the millionth time, just because someone has a nice picture and you like the same band means jack shit to any sort of real life potential.

      That's not how the AI determines the match, that's how the AI convinces you to go on the date.

      --
      The Daddy casts sleep on the Baby. The Baby resists!
    3. Re:How is that scary? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      This is absolutely and demonstrably untrue.

      And the continued existence of Tinder proves it. People get laid every day because of Tinder.

      Not everybody is looking for a long term relationship. Sometimes they just want to fuck.

    4. Re: How is that scary? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's actually exactly how I met my wife. We were introduced to each other, we started talking and discovered we liked the same bands. One thing led to another and were still together after 15 years.

      You gotta start somewhere. Just two people with a common interest can be more then enough to start building on.

    5. Re: How is that scary? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Me and my ex were pretty much polar opposites. I'm not aware of many people who had as little in common with me as she did, except we both loved to fuck. 15 years well spent.

      We met via IRC.

    6. Re: How is that scary? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Please leave her contact if she still loves to fuck.

    7. Re: How is that scary? by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      Me and my ex were pretty much polar opposites. I'm not aware of many people who had as little in common with me as she did, except we both loved to fuck. 15 years well spent.

      We met via IRC.

      That's one of the least convincing anecdotes I've ever read on slashdot.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  5. Machine learning has been used for awhile by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The book Super Crunchers, which is pretty old, describes the use of regression modelling by eHarmony to find couples with similar interests and personalities. The book noted that some of its competitors also crunched numbers but tried to identify compatible personality differences rather than similarities.

  6. Read between the lines by Big+Hairy+Ian · · Score: 1

    Until we develop an AI that can read between the lines honestly good luck with that

    --

    Build a Man a Fire, and He'll Be Warm for a Day. Set a Man on Fire, and He'll Be Warm for the Rest of His Life.

    1. Re:Read between the lines by XxtraLarGe · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Until we develop an AI that can read between the lines honestly good luck with that

      I don't think most people can even read between the lines, and especially men when it comes to women.

      --
      Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
    2. Re:Read between the lines by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Even better, explain to your significant other how you're not able to read minds. Next, explain to them that this means they must actually talk to you about what's on their mind and that, if they do this, you're able and ready to react appropriately in order to find solutions to problems. And then, when you both are able to do that (in each direction), you'll be shocked to discover you managed - together - to create a fantastic relationship! It's not rocket (or any other kind of) science and it certainly isn't magic. It's just basic, good sense. It's not that hard, either, but it does take effort and a little mindfulness.

    3. Re:Read between the lines by nospam007 · · Score: 1

      "Until we develop an AI that can read between the lines honestly good luck with that"

      Where's the money in that?

      This AI can right now simulate millions of beautiful, horny women that _almost_ like you, but cannot meet you, because they wash their hair, but in the meantime, how about watching some sexy ads?

    4. Re:Read between the lines by sheramil · · Score: 1

      Until we develop an AI that can read between the lines honestly good luck with that

      I don't think most people can even read between the lines, and especially men when it comes to women.

      and this is how AI will overtake humanity effortlessly.

      and i for one welcome our date-matching AI overlords. they could bring about the end of the world simply by matching the wrong people.

    5. Re:Read between the lines by Gilgaron · · Score: 1

      Why would it do that when it can domesticate us via selective breeding?

    6. Re:Read between the lines by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Selective breeding takes too long. Much easier to reduce the population by putting people together who will kill each other. Also plenty of other combinations like serial killer couples that would also reduce population.

    7. Re:Read between the lines by beastofburdon · · Score: 1

      Well, we found the AC that has never been in a relationship with a woman.

  7. Tinder of all things? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Tinder, the people who brought you the simple flowchart of "if the guy isn't ripped or doesn't have a BMW, swipe left", logic of dating?

    No thanks.

  8. Grinder by Big+Hairy+Ian · · Score: 2

    I think grinder knows where you can stick your AI

    --

    Build a Man a Fire, and He'll Be Warm for a Day. Set a Man on Fire, and He'll Be Warm for the Rest of His Life.

  9. Yeah,... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Fuck that.

    1. Re:Yeah,... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's the idea.

  10. Fun other uses for online dateing by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    Hi, my name is Werner Brandes. My voice is my passport. Verify Me

    1. Re:Fun other uses for online dateing by desdinova+216 · · Score: 1

      I hear he's an expert in Ctec Astronomy.

    2. Re:Fun other uses for online dateing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wait. A computer matched *her* with *him*? I don't think so.

    3. Re:Fun other uses for online dateing by SonicSpike · · Score: 1

      Cooty's Rat Semen..... no thanks

      --
      Libertas in infinitum
  11. Don't be a hater bro by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hit the gym hard and day trade successfully and you can have ripped abs and a beemer too.

    1. Re:Don't be a hater bro by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The Mercedes roadster in the Super Bowl ads looks like a chick magnet.

    2. Re:Don't be a hater bro by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "day trade successfully" - emphasis on "successfully". You usually need to be doing well financially before even getting started in day trading and there's a high risk of losing a lot. Most people don't have a spare $50k in their bank accounts to play around with. If you're at that point, you're likely doing well enough for most women on Tinder anyway aside from the most spoiled.

    3. Re: Don't be a hater bro by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bimmer. A beemer is a motorcycle. I can see why you'd need an app to find a mate.

    4. Re: Don't be a hater bro by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      Bimmer. A beemer is a motorcycle. I can see why you'd need an app to find a mate.

      I always thought it was when a woman gets cold, and her high beams turn on. What my better half calls them anyhow.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    5. Re: Don't be a hater bro by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      No, they're all beemers. Bimmer just makes you sound like an idiot.

      And having one of their cars makes you an actual idiot.

      Very nice bikes, though.

  12. No shit? by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Let me make sure I got this right....a dating app wants to set me up on a date?

    Wow, talk about finding novel uses unrelated to the original functionality, what motherfucking super genius came up with this brain-busting idea of using a DATING APP to set people up with DATES?

    What's next, using a washing machine to clean your clothes?

    --
    Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
    1. Re:No shit? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Tinder's just a hook-up app. If you can call that "dating", you've got really low standards.

    2. Re:No shit? by Scarred+Intellect · · Score: 1

      ...using a washing machine to clean your clothes?

      You've piqued my interest. Tell me more!

    3. Re:No shit? by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 1

      ...using a washing machine to clean your clothes?

      You've piqued my interest. Tell me more!

      It's still in the developmental stages so I don't want to reveal too much at this point. But I can say it involves water and a secret ingredient called "soap".

      --
      Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
    4. Re:No shit? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ...and if you're using SOAP, you're using AJAX(tm).

    5. Re:No shit? by Rastl · · Score: 1

      ...using a washing machine to clean your clothes?

      You've piqued my interest. Tell me more!

      It's still in the developmental stages so I don't want to reveal too much at this point. But I can say it involves water and a secret ingredient called "soap".

      I find your ideas intriguing and would like to subscribe to your newsletter

    6. Re:No shit? by thinkwaitfast · · Score: 1

      What's next, using a washing machine to clean your clothes?

      You shouldn't post your ideas so lightly on public web boards. I just patented that idea. Sucks to be you

    7. Re:No shit? by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 1

      What's next, using a washing machine to clean your clothes?

      You shouldn't post your ideas so lightly on public web boards. I just patented that idea. Sucks to be you

      Damn, the it's a good idea I didn't post about my idea for a machine that uses hot air to dry freshly-washed clothes.

      --
      Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
  13. Incomplete data by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I start believing Tinder recommendations after they start collecting the relevant DNA samples, you know, to compensate for the lack of the smell test, diet information, health records, insurance information and the complete social network, work and school histories, those teacher reports starting from kindergarten (not the report cards for parents) and any social services and criminal reports. Privacy? Who cares about it when you want to reproduce and live happily ever after.

    No, I rather die alone with meaningful or meaningless death than submit myself to the system.

    1. Re:Incomplete data by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      No, I rather die alone with meaningful or meaningless death than submit myself to the system.

      Well, you're halfway there.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    2. Re:Incomplete data by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What can I say? I'm a glass half full/empty kind of guy.

  14. spam article - get this ad off slashdot by iggymanz · · Score: 3, Interesting

    could we please not have slashdot articles that are merely ads for crap products?

    1. Re:spam article - get this ad off slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      no, sorry.

  15. Dating culture needs to change first by Baron_Yam · · Score: 4, Insightful

    People are the problem, not the match-making system.

    So long as people are willing to lie and manipulate to get laid or married, so long as they have unrealistic expectations and get vindictive when they're not met, there won't be an AI-managed dating app that will handle matchmaking well.

    Anyway, the only matchmaking test you need is "do you find this person who is within a reasonable distance at least marginally attractive and have a shared activity you'd participate in together at least once?". The rest is bullshit.

    1. Re:Dating culture needs to change first by kiviQr · · Score: 2

      Oh there will be, combine it with a google translate with English-Female to English-Male translation then add google glasses to adjust reality a bit and we will live in a perfect harmony.

    2. Re:Dating culture needs to change first by sheramil · · Score: 1

      People are the problem, not the match-making system.

      people are the problem with any computer system. most of them would run perfectly if it wasn't for the users.

    3. Re:Dating culture needs to change first by avandesande · · Score: 1

      Need for perspective though- at least you can avoid a completely horrible first date if you share some common interests.

      --
      love is just extroverted narcissism
    4. Re:Dating culture needs to change first by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There doesn't seem to me to be much hope that an AI system for matchmaking is going to work when organic intelligence is still doing a pretty bad job in most cases.

    5. Re:Dating culture needs to change first by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "There are seldom good technological solutions for behavioral problems" -unknown (to me).

    6. Re:Dating culture needs to change first by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      People are the problem, not the match-making system.

      And people are having some issues with meeting other people. Long hours at work, limited opportunities in bars, which was never a good idea except for quickies anyhow, and the modern environment Where some women believe you talking to her is harassment if she isn't interested.

      So a system where the first step - the expressed interest of the woman - is pretty handy for both sexes,

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    7. Re:Dating culture needs to change first by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Where some women believe you talking to her is harassment if she isn't interested.

      Maybe you should take the hint. I find it annoying when someone talks to me when I'm clearly not interested, but maybe I'm unusual.

    8. Re:Dating culture needs to change first by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 2

      Where some women believe you talking to her is harassment if she isn't interested.

      Maybe you should take the hint. I find it annoying when someone talks to me when I'm clearly not interested, but maybe I'm unusual.

      Actually, my reference was to the act of talking to the woman ever, at all. I saw a Q and A session where a group of women were asked if talking to a woman was sexual harassment if she wasn't interested - Most said yes. Because the simple act of talking to a woman is not saying you want to screw her, and women have been taught that any male who isn't gay wants to screw her. Sad when they look at the world obsessed with the thought that everyone wants to screw them. And you needn't worry, unless I have been properly introduced, I will not speak to a woman at all. Even then, it is to say "hello" and no more. I wonder if ignoring women is a form of sexual harassment?

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    9. Re:Dating culture needs to change first by Baron_Yam · · Score: 1

      I think the first solution to behavioural problems was probably a heavy stick. The flint knife was a major innovation, and 'flint lashed to the end of a stick' was probably as far as we needed to go.

      Unless, of course, the person with the behavioural issue was the one (or also) in possession of such a technological solution.

    10. Re:Dating culture needs to change first by Rastl · · Score: 2

      Actually, my reference was to the act of talking to the woman ever, at all. I saw a Q and A session where a group of women were asked if talking to a woman was sexual harassment if she wasn't interested - Most said yes. Because the simple act of talking to a woman is not saying you want to screw her, and women have been taught that any male who isn't gay wants to screw her. Sad when they look at the world obsessed with the thought that everyone wants to screw them. And you needn't worry, unless I have been properly introduced, I will not speak to a woman at all. Even then, it is to say "hello" and no more. I wonder if ignoring women is a form of sexual harassment?

      I also find this .. sad. As a woman if someone is talking to me and I'm not interested it's not harassment. It may be annoying but it's not sexual unless the person escalates it beyond expressing interest and won't take no for an answer.

      I talk to all kinds of men. I have no idea if any of them want to 'screw me' nor do I care. I've had men compliment me on my clothing, my hair, etc. and I've taken it as a simple compliment and nothing more.

      As for Tinder it sounds like they're creating algorithms that match on some key values and spit back results when they're found. Nothing new to see, move along. What direction of swipe would that be?

    11. Re:Dating culture needs to change first by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 2

      I also find this .. sad. As a woman if someone is talking to me and I'm not interested it's not harassment. It may be annoying but it's not sexual unless the person escalates it beyond expressing interest and won't take no for an answer.

      I talk to all kinds of men. I have no idea if any of them want to 'screw me' nor do I care. I've had men compliment me on my clothing, my hair, etc. and I've taken it as a simple compliment and nothing more.

      And most women don't really care. Before around 2000, I would chat it up with anyone, male or female. And solely for the interaction. But for some reason, we have decided to listen to those who are trying to scrub normal male-female interactions off the face of the earth. There are some who think that this might have some relationship with the falling marriage rate. I don't know that there is only one causative factor, but many men have chosen to pursue other things like career and recreational activities and their bank account.

      If I were a woman, I would be pretty pissed at the third wave feminists for damaging my life.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    12. Re:Dating culture needs to change first by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No problem! Just have the dating AI only try to set up dates for AIs.

      Siri? Meet Google Assistant. You two have so much in common.

    13. Re:Dating culture needs to change first by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ... men have chosen to pursue other things like career and recreational activities and their bank account.

      The message I get is that young women are having more sex, despite this distance between the sexes. People no longer socialize to avoid being alone, to practice getting to know someone, they do it to find a fuck. So the first question a woman might ask is "do I want to fuck?". If the answer is "no", there is no reason to meet men. That's fine for the men in the 'find a fuck' crowd but for the men not that good/lucky and stuck in the 'getting to know someone' crowd, there's no women to practice on. Women have made their choice and men aren't allowed to cry about sexual inequality so they divert their energy into less social pursuits.

    14. Re: Dating culture needs to change first by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      >As a woman

      What are you doing on a tech site? Go back to FB.

    15. Re:Dating culture needs to change first by mjwx · · Score: 1

      So long as people are willing to lie and manipulate to get laid...

      So long as people are people, it wont work... Right.

      So instead of adapting the technology to the people, people should be adapting to the system. I bet you're thinking that in a few iterations people will change to fit the system.

      I take it you're a CS student.

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
    16. Re:Dating culture needs to change first by Baron_Yam · · Score: 1

      It continually amazes that the supply of people determined to infer what was never implied in an effort to justify issuing insults simply never runs out.

      Hopefully you're at least slightly more socialized in real life.

  16. Are people still using that? by jcr · · Score: 1

    I would have thought it was all hookers and dudes pretending to be girls by now.

    -jcr

    --
    The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
    1. Re:Are people still using that? by XxtraLarGe · · Score: 1

      I would have thought it was all hookers and dudes pretending to be girls by now.

      Besides, who needs Tinder now that Slashdot has banner ads for FilipinoCupid.com?

      --
      Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
    2. Re:Are people still using that? by Grishnakh · · Score: 2

      When I was using Tinder (up until a few months ago), I did notice a LOT of trans-girls (men dressing and acting like women). There used to be hookers, but those seem to have disappeared; perhaps Tinder got a lot better at dealing with that problem. But for the 25+ ages, and esp. the 30+ people, it's all real people AFAICT. But there are a lot of trannies, at least in my metro area, though they all seem to be between 25 and 30. The sad thing, however, is that the trannies are, on average, a lot prettier than the real women. American women these days really look awful.

    3. Re:Are people still using that? by Noble713 · · Score: 1

      I can't speak to the US dating scene, but Tinder is awesome here in Asia (so is dating in general, BTW). I think I've only been catfished once in Osaka, but otherwise everyone I've encountered on Tinder aged 22-37 has had real pics and been a real woman.

      Regarding TFA....I'm not sure I like this idea. Who is writing the algorithms or training the AI? Some beta coder who hasn't had a girl...ever? Just judging by the quote in TFS "you two like the same band, we can buy you tickets." GTFO. Why the FUCK would I blow money on a concert ticket for some Tinder chick I've never met? Talk about setting a guy up for failure. My AI better be making suggestions like:
      "This chick's profile reads 'no hookups' but we're pretty sure you're her style and she'll put out to you. There's a cafe, an arcade with DDR, and a pool hall, all within 500 meters of your hotel and her present location. Do you want us to send her directions to the cafe with a note 'Look for the tall dark and handsome guy' with your pic?"

      That would actually justify a slight increase in the monthly fee for Tinder Plus or whatever it's called. It would mix pre-screening potential matches, first encounter planning/logistics, message crafting....so really I all I have to do is click "Approve" and then actually show up to meet the woman.

    4. Re:Are people still using that? by LunaticTippy · · Score: 1

      If you find "trannies" more attractive in general than actual women you might not be 100% heterosexual. Not that there's anything wrong with that!

      --
      Man, you really need that seminar!
    5. Re:Are people still using that? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, I've heard it's a lot better in Asia overall, especially if you're a white guy, though the percentage of the dating age population using it in those countries may be lower. Maybe Thailand would be worse than big US cities in terms of tran profiles though.

    6. Re:Are people still using that? by The-Ixian · · Score: 1

      Yeah, I think the "attractive cues" these days are completely warped to favor massive amounts of body sculpting and artificial products.

      If you are making your judgment of beauty based on these factors, then I can completely see how men dressed in drag would be attractive to you since their make-up and body sculpting tends toward extreme.

      --
      My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.
    7. Re:Are people still using that? by Grishnakh · · Score: 1

      No, you seem to not get it. The "real" women are American, and hence are overwhelmingly obese. The trannies aren't.

      If you guys find obesity attractive, then more power to you, but obesity is extremely unhealthy so from an evolutionary biology viewpoint, it's perfectly normal for a man to not be attracted to obese women.

    8. Re:Are people still using that? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Being attracted to trannies is an evolutionary dead end too, FWIW.

  17. Tinder has too many issues and is overpriced by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They need to take care of the countless bots/fake accounts on it, often seems like half or more are, but they won't because they artificially inflate the user base and force people to use the app longer. They often reshow the same accounts repeatedly no matter how often you swipe left or right on them. They also seem to have stopped putting regular users on people's stacks after swiping right unless you're using boost or a superlike, which add up quickly (need plus and buying extra boosts). If you live in a big city, many may never swipe on you as they just don't see your profile. Also, many women are using it for real dating or just to see how popular they are with hot guys when the app was designed around hookups (very superficial so you know little about the person). If you meet up with women who are serious about no ONS, odds are very slim you'll see a second or third date because they start wanting to test out every one of the 5000 matches that they can. You likely have very little in common anyway, something you can't tell from the app since they provide so little info about the person and no one wants to ask a shit ton of boring "what do you like" questions. As another said, more than other online dating options, it heavily favors a very small percentage of men who are clearly well off and good looking. Most women look for those guys and swipe left or ignore everyone else, then get upset those guys never message them/respond or only want to hookup. As with dating apps in general, the male:female ratio heavily favors women, so if you're not one of the top guys, you'll end up having to put a lot more time and effort into the app before scoring a date despite how simple it seems and hookups will be even less common.

  18. What would an AI actually do? by timholman · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Based on how I've seen most people use Tinder, a truly advanced artificial intelligence would simply connect them to a local escort service.

    1. Re:What would an AI actually do? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I have moderator points to burn and would mod you up but I'd much rather add to what you have to say here.
      For those of you who have never used Internet dating sites (especially the free ones), they're full of prostitutes and fake accounts that exist just to lure men to pay porn sites. A large fraction of the women who are not prostitutes or fake accounts, don't seem particularly interested in getting involved with anyone, they're just there for the attention ("Look at me, look at me! I'm so awesome! YOU CAN'T HAVE ME, but LOOK AT ME!"). I'd estimate maybe 5% or so of the women you'd find on a dating site are legit -- and frankly, maybe 1 out of ten (or less) are anyone you'd want to have anything to do with anyway. Internet dating sites are more or less the last resort for the desperate, and as such not worth anyones' time.

      Now, you're going to try to create a so-called 'AI' to set you up with a date? LOL, that's a train wreck even before it happens. Even human beings have problems weeding out the liars and you expect some half-assed machine intelligence to do a better job? Don't waste your time. Besides which, anyone using Tinder isn't looking for a 'relationship', they're looking for attention and for quick sex. Therefore this is the dumbest idea I've heard yet on the subject of so-called 'AI'. You'd do just as well closing your eyes and throwing a dart at a wall full of profile pics.

    2. Re:What would an AI actually do? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe, or maybe you're just an ugly asshat with a personality so repugnant that no one wants anything to do with you.

    3. Re:What would an AI actually do? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Very few people have a dating site profile because they are uninterested in dating. The thing is, yes, everyone likes attention, especially the gender which is expected to paint themselves daily to make them more attractive. Girls on the Internet, hell, even barely passable drag queens on the Internet get a lot of male attention, and filtering is simply necessary. And it's an extremely selective filter because you can pretty much just have one relationship at a time. Not only that, but pictures and the Internet being what they are, everyone's body standards are going to be completely unrealistic.

      The reason you don't get dates is that not only do you think you're entitled to have sex with attractive women, but that in your world any girl that doesn't put out is a bitch, and any girl that does is a slut. The asshole filter is working as intended, it just weeded you out.

    4. Re:What would an AI actually do? by Rastl · · Score: 1

      I'd estimate maybe 5% or so of the women you'd find on a dating site are legit -- and frankly, maybe 1 out of ten (or less) are anyone you'd want to have anything to do with anyway. Internet dating sites are more or less the last resort for the desperate, and as such not worth anyones' time.

      I guess I'm in that 5%. Maybe even the 1 out of ten you cite. Because I'm real, my profile is honest, my pictures are current, and I'm not trying to be anyone but who I am. My main picture is me in a Jayne hat FFS.

      I also guess that you're a neckbeard who will only look at the Google scraped model pictures and start your message with some offensive comment about their anatomy. Meant as a compliment of course.

      When all you get is declined maybe the problem is closer to home.

    5. Re:What would an AI actually do? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yep. EVERY person I know who has turned it on, did it to try to find people to pork. It wasn't for dating at all.

    6. Re:What would an AI actually do? by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 1

      Bitter much? Enough so that you're going to make all sorts of assumptions about someone you've never met, never will meet, and that you don't even have so much as a picture of to go on, let alone any actual facts? Enough so, that you're willing to be a hypocrite, accusing me of making 'offensive comments about their anatomy', then calling me a 'neckbeard' (and you didn't even mean it as a compliment)? Sounds to me like you're the one who should be looking in the mirror for the source of your own problems, dearie -- and take off the rose-colored glasses this time.

    7. Re:What would an AI actually do? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I'd estimate maybe 5% or so of the women you'd find on a dating site are legit -- and frankly, maybe 1 out of ten (or less) are anyone you'd want to have anything to do with anyway. Internet dating sites are more or less the last resort for the desperate, and as such not worth anyones' time.

      I guess I'm in that 5%. Maybe even the 1 out of ten you cite. Because I'm real, my profile is honest, my pictures are current, and I'm not trying to be anyone but who I am. My main picture is me in a Jayne hat FFS.

      I also guess that you're a neckbeard who will only look at the Google scraped model pictures and start your message with some offensive comment about their anatomy. Meant as a compliment of course.

      When all you get is declined maybe the problem is closer to home.

      My experience with the sites as a woman is the problem is probably the sites--I don't think most of the guys were fakes, but the matches I kept being offered were very WTF? It was like all my settings were negotiable, no matter how I had set their importance--and I still haven't a clue how the hell it managed to never once even try to give me somebody who was within the distance limit I set, I live in a big city near big cities.

      I should note, they didn't once while I was still bothering checking manage to get me a match that was 'perfect aside from X'--this was supposedly one of the best sites, didn't get a single local match, and given I didn't ask for much besides 'local enough I can bail if the first date goes wrong'...

      So, those numbers probably are pretty accurate, really. You can't count the real people he or you or I might wish to date who are potentially in the system whom we're like to know who are for some reason never matched with you, because they're functionally not part of the sample: you will probably never get to know their profile existed.

      Honestly I figure that Tinder's AI will be doing fucking awesome if it manages to usually get right your likes & interests right at a better-than-chance rate.

    8. Re:What would an AI actually do? by dyslexicbunny · · Score: 1

      Having skimmed enough local profiles, I'd be hard pressed to find any evidence that only 5% of ladies are real. Most of the profiles look pretty authentic to me (OKCupid) but I guess if you're using other places, they might not be.

      My observation is that I just don't mesh with a lot of the folks on the site. Could be for a number of reasons: lots of vegans/vegetarians, folks that love to travel everywhere (crazy high cost of living here and I don't want a roommate), I'm far less established financially than others my age (was in a doctoral program that ate my 20s) which makes me less hesitant to spend money, a lot of my interests are more hermetic than many folks enjoy (I sure don't blame others for that but it does make things harder), and folks have kids (nah)/want kids (I'm increasingly leaning towards no as I get older).

      I have noticed many profiles having a list of some size in terms of what they're looking for. Like they're buying a laptop or car and want it speced out. That might be part of why they're still single. I see someone I kinda dig, see a list and something on that list doesn't resonate with me, and I just assume they aren't going to be interested. An example would be "I'm not interested in Republicans". I'm independent and don't vote straight ticket but that statement comes off as someone that doesn't want to hear opposing views. So why bother? I already send non-sexually charged messages that don't get responses.

      It's funny cause I moved from the Southeast US because I felt I was too liberal and now in New England, I'm too conservative.

  19. How is this news? by Opportunist · · Score: 1

    On every other halfway decent porn page you already get the info that there's someone near you who has exactly the same interests and wants to fuck even. Just click on the image of the hot chick...

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    1. Re:How is this news? by PPH · · Score: 5, Funny

      That doesn't turn out well

      --
      Have gnu, will travel.
  20. I can see it now. by nimbius · · Score: 4, Funny

    siri: there are 20 eligible singles in your area you should consider! shall I set up a date?
    me: *loads up the Gentoo homepage*
    siri:...oh....

    --
    Good people go to bed earlier.
    1. Re:I can see it now. by antdude · · Score: 1

      I would date Siri as shown in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v... ...

      --
      Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
  21. Where does the intelligence get the intell? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't care how smart your AI is; how could Tinder know me? Buy profile info from Google?

    1. Re: Where does the intelligence get the intell? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Tinder makes people enter their Facebook profile to create an account.

  22. Can't be that bad. by Qbertino · · Score: 2

    You can deduct a *lot* from tracking a user these days. Especially with all the data smartphone apps offer up to their suppliers. You basically have a more complete and trustworthy personal profile of a person than the person could probably even willingly give themselves. Sleeping habits, areas of interest, modes of transport, typing speed, wording/education, interests, income, temper, sexual preferences, political affiliation, religious beliefs ... the data hog megacorps of today know *everything* about you.

    Having a large set of algorithms chose your partner for you based on such data is most likely to be a better choice than most humans could ever hope to make. The computer already knows much more about both mates than each could know about each other in years. And bring people together who would've never come together under regular circumstances.

    Finding a fitting mate would actually be one of the better reasons for me to offer my data up to some app.

    My 2 cents.

    --
    We suffer more in our imagination than in reality. - Seneca
    1. Re:Can't be that bad. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You can deduct a *lot* from tracking a user these days.

      I didn't know that was deductable! Man, I could've been saving TONS on my taxes!

    2. Re:Can't be that bad. by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 2

      You can deduct a *lot* from tracking a user these days. Especially with all the data smartphone apps offer up to their suppliers. You basically have a more complete and trustworthy personal profile of a person than the person could probably even willingly give themselves.

      But here's the rub. While these things go after compatibility and look for similarities, there is something to be said for differences as well. I'm coming up on my 40th anniversary, yet my wife and I are almost ridiculously different. We are roughly the same IQ, but she is very people oriented and sociable. Has a ton of friends. One of te most friendly people you'll meet, with a slightly dirty sense of humor.

      Me, First of all, I'm kind of irritating, and hyper analytical. I have just a few close friends, and until I analyze a person, am very reticent with them. I'm an outside person, she only is when on vacation. I'm a bit of a thrill seeker, she isn't. We are seriously opposite But we actually use these differences rather than insist that the other be like we are.

      She wants us to try one of these dating services because she says we'd be the last two people they would hook up together.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    3. Re:Can't be that bad. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      She wants to try a dating service because she wants some strange.

    4. Re:Can't be that bad. by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      She wants to try a dating service because she wants some strange.

      She thinks I'm pretty strange.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    5. Re:Can't be that bad. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's why she's spending so much time with her tennis/yoga/golf/whatever instructor.

    6. Re:Can't be that bad. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Of course that assumes that the AI has your best interests in making the choice. What if it had nefarious goals set? Considering all this data is gathered and payed for by someone to further some purpose.

  23. Humanity: The Game v0.0.2a by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    How long until we stop being individuals and start following what our phones tell us to do such that AI is now playing a version of "The Sims?"

  24. This is how AI is supposed to work! by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 4, Funny

    We know all the scenarios where AI fucks us over, it's about time we heard about the scenarios where AI gets us fucked. ;)

    --
    Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    1. Re:This is how AI is supposed to work! by adam.voss · · Score: 2

      We know all the scenarios where AI fucks us over, it's about time we heard about the scenarios where AI gets us fucked. ;)

      How do we know it won't do both? It could control the gene pool.

    2. Re:This is how AI is supposed to work! by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 0

      Sounds like someone's result was "no matches, you're repulsive to everyone!" ;)

      --
      Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
  25. Screw that by cfalcon · · Score: 1

    Allowing a group of centralized elites to control mating opportunities. Gosh, no way that will be misused.

    Existing approaches try to make matches between people who (ostensibly) share common interests, which definitely include meeting someone who they'll get along with, possibly for marriage, possibly for hookups. Some of these put an emphasis on raw sexuality, others claim to be about long term stuff, but ultimately each attracts a userbase suited to that behavior. The fact that you have to back up your tinder profile with some game is a feature to the users who are choosing to select someone who is capable of that, not a bug. The fact that you have to put up with endless tests on some sanctimonious religious website is a feature to the other users, not a bug. These tests are designed to weed out the people who do not and can not meet those social standards, physical standards, whatever.

    What would putting an AI- even a really good AI- in charge of it, do? What's the goal of the AI? Your goal and the goal of your potential picks might be similar, but why would you assume the AI would have that as its goal? If the AI is trusted, a way to game that trust (and therefore get a potential mate you may not otherwise be able to) would be worth quite a bit to unscrupulous individuals as well. Your BEST case scenario here is that you give a lot of power to some goddamned server room.

    A bigger thing is, what's the goal with an AI-driven matchmaking or hookup site? What's the model that pays for everyone at the company? Is it subscription based? Are they literally incentivized to keep you on the website meeting people, instead of being involved in a monogamous relationship with no need for their services, even if that is both your stated and actual preference? "Uh oh, these two would be a perfect match, and therefore we'd lose two customers. Better prevent them from meeting each other through this app!"

    1. Re:Screw that by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I agree. Wouldn't they have an incentive to match people with those they're least likely to be compatible with long term so they keep coming back to the app? Tinder has already shown it's incredibly greedy and cares little about the end users aside from making sure they are on the app as much as possible, so I can't see that changing. I expect it's just marketing for another paid service they'll release allowing you to see people with similar Spotify music interests, FB likes, and common FB friends ahead of others. That's really the only data they have to work with.

    2. Re:Screw that by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Allowing a group of centralized elites to control mating opportunities. Gosh, no way that will be misused.

      Meh, just don't buy land that's adjacent to the remaining attitude thrusters and you'll be fine.

    3. Re:Screw that by The-Ixian · · Score: 1

      Allowing a group of centralized elites to control mating opportunities. Gosh, no way that will be misused.

      Yeah, because I am sure that people will shrug and say "Gee, you are a horrible person and I wouldn't normally hang out with a person like you let alone date a person like you... but the computer said so.... will you marry me?"

      --
      My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.
  26. Brave New World by Yumi+Saotome · · Score: 1

    Brave New World was supposed to be a warning, not a guidebook.

    1. Re:Brave New World by rickb928 · · Score: 1

      Truth is stranger than fiction.

      --
      deleting the extra space after periods so i can stay relevant, yeah.
  27. do you want to get mugged behind a bar? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    rule 16 - there are no girls on the internet.

    1. Re:do you want to get mugged behind a bar? by Salgak1 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I beg to differ. That's where I met my wife, 20 years ago. I have a number of friends who met their spouse online. I even know a couple who met online BEFORE the Net, on CompuServe.

      There are real women, and real men, on the net. But you generally need to be a decent person to connect with them . . . .

    2. Re:do you want to get mugged behind a bar? by Dogtanian · · Score: 1

      rule 16 - there are no girls on the internet.

      While that cliche may once have been broadly- albeit never completely- true, it's a long time since that was the case.

      Now that I think about it, it's no longer just a long time since that was the case... it's even been a long time since people felt it necessary to point out that the stereotype no longer applied. We've completely moved on now- when smartphones are more common than not among the female population, it's probably not something it would even occur to most people to think about nowadays.

      --
      "Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
    3. Re:do you want to get mugged behind a bar? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yep, dated a girl for 3 years after meeting her on a local IRC chat back in the dialup days (high school for me). She left me for a guy she met on a MUD.

      That's not to say she wasn't psycho, but she was definitely a girl.

    4. Re:do you want to get mugged behind a bar? by beastofburdon · · Score: 1

      I see you do not understand what rule 16 is about.
      This rule is about anonymity and equality. It has nothing to do with the actual sex of the person behind the keyboard.
      In the physical world women have major advantages over men because men are hardwired to protect and provide for women and children.
      On the internet you had no way to prove you were a woman, so you had to rely on what you say and do, just like all the men had to.
      The declaration "there are no girls on the internet" did not mean that women did not use the internet, it meant that everyone is treated as a man on the internet.

  28. Needs to be handled differently, IMO .... by King_TJ · · Score: 2

    I used the online dating sites pretty heavily when I was younger and still single. (I'm married to a woman who I met via OKCupid, as a matter of fact.)

    I think like many things in life, you only get out of it what you put into it. If you approach the sites with the "kid in a candy store" mentality (which MANY men and women do), it turns into a way to flip through hundreds of photos to pick out only the people you find the most physically attractive, and to see how many of them you can get to go out with you. A whole lot of people who really tried to leverage the power of the dating site to find you better matches gets squandered or trampled on by all the people "clicking the pretty pictures". (After all, why waste hours taking numerous personality profile tests, writing a complete "bio", etc. -- if all of it was ignored by the majority of people anyway?)

    Realistically? I know I'm not a bad looking guy, but I'm not a "head turner" either. I think I rank somewhere solidly in the "average" category on looks. So if we're only competing on a selection of photos alone, I'm going to be consistently left in the dust by guys 10 years younger than me, guys who go to the gym at least 3-4 times a week, etc. That's fine with me though, because I wasn't looking to date models who walked right off of photo shoots either.

    So what happened for me is that I actually had some of my most enjoyable dates with women I met on Craigslist personals -- where half the time, they didn't even share a photo. I just went by what they wrote and how they wrote it, to determine if they seemed intelligent, relatively honest, and if we had some things in common. None of these dates led to anything serious, but they felt "genuine". Both of us were going into it pretty much blindly, with "blank slates" as expectations. And even when there was no chemistry, we were able to walk away as friends who just enjoyed a really good dinner or a few games of billiards or what-not.

    When I put in the effort to really read through detailed profiles, compare "compatibility percentages" based on tests we both took, and contact people who shared mutual interests and beliefs over on sites like OKCupid? I generally got no response at all. I really think most women on there were just overwhelmed with a large number of initial contacts from all the guys who just said, "Ooh.... sexy photo. I'm gonna chat her up!", and/or got sucked into behaving the same way on the site.

    When I finally met the woman I married, it was only because I'd already given up using the web site and left my profile sitting out there for months. I got an email notification that she had sent me a "Woo!", so I signed back in to see who did it and what their story was. That's when it turned out she lived in a different state, but had gotten so frustrated by the lack of communications with people taking the site seriously that she kept expanding her search outside her city and eventually to other states. She liked what I had to say in my profile, so sent me the "Woo" rather than wasting time writing a big letter for nothing (like had so often happened to her previously).

    Tindr wasn't even a "thing" yet back then, but when I read about it as a new dating app, I realized it captured the essence of how most people were really using all of these other sites to begin with. Why bother taking quizzes or writing a lot of content? Just show the sexy photos and let people hit on each other....

    Attaching THAT to a personal assistant is going to be relatively pointless, IMO. But a site that makes a serious effort to collect user info and preferences, that actually gets USED by serious individuals who want to fill all of that out? That could work.

    1. Re:Needs to be handled differently, IMO .... by nukenerd · · Score: 1

      King_TJ wrote :

      I actually had some of my most enjoyable dates with women I met on Craigslist personals -- where half the time, they didn't even share a photo. I just went by what they wrote and how they wrote it, to determine if they seemed intelligent, relatively honest, and if we had some things in common.

      I gave up looking for "ideal" profiles (same interests etc) because I found that the more "ideal" they sounded the less likely they were to respond. As you said :-

      When I put in the effort to really read through detailed profiles, compare "compatibility percentages" based on tests we both took, and contact people who shared mutual interests and beliefs.... I generally got no response at all.

      In the end I did not worry if "they seemed intelligent, relatively honest" etc and I just contacted those which were (1) shorter than me (I'm a guy); (2) 0-8 years younger then me; (3) reasonably near to me ( I was in a big city anyway); and (4) not ugly in their photo if there was one. That way I met some girls from utterly different backgrounds from mine (including, believe it or not, an ex- Playboy Club Bunny Girl, but she was not as hot as that might sound) and found that whether we clicked or not was orthogonal to commonalities on paper. I never expected nor wanted an intellectual sparring partner.

    2. Re:Needs to be handled differently, IMO .... by b783719 · · Score: 1

      "Woo"
      I can see how she got that.

      +1 for you

    3. Re:Needs to be handled differently, IMO .... by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      In the end I did not worry if "they seemed intelligent, relatively honest" etc and I just contacted those which were (1) shorter than me (I'm a guy); (2) 0-8 years younger then me; (3) reasonably near to me ( I was in a big city anyway); and (4) not ugly in their photo if there was one. That way I met some girls from utterly different backgrounds from mine (including, believe it or not, an ex- Playboy Club Bunny Girl, but she was not as hot as that might sound) and found that whether we clicked or not was orthogonal to commonalities on paper. I never expected nor wanted an intellectual sparring partner.

      Executive summary: you just wanted to fuck anything female and not actually grotesque. Basically the same as picking someone up in a bar, but somehow that is uncool nowadays.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  29. Am I the only one by The-Ixian · · Score: 1

    Am I the only one who thought of Quantum Leap while (mis)reading the headline?

    Al: Sam, I want to set you up on a date
    Sam: Oh boy!

    --
    My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.
  30. Shakes 8 ball... by TheOuterLinux · · Score: 2

    "Your perfect match is a penguin."

  31. Facebook - AI - Tinder- ln -s Profile.dat /Faceboo by TheOuterLinux · · Score: 1

    Only tech guys will get the subject line if it prints it all, but essentially Tinder is owned by Facebook and they just want an excuse to gather more data and control every aspect of your life. Same as usual. Honestly, it's like AI is the solution of choice to combat open source ideology. How does one combat something we can't put a backdoor in and uses modern or higher encryption methods? Looks like we need more data. Oh! I know! We shall build an AI and release it as if it is objective and highly advanced tech (insert skinny white collar with thin glasses). Then, use all the data no human can sift or sort through in a realistic time crunch to digitally fingerprint every human on the planet. But what about those I regions without computers or too old to turn one on? Well sill goose, we will just have to put smart cameras everywhere and use facial recognition and behavioral data collected to digitally fingerprint those guys. And as far as third world countries go, we at Facebook have a top notch team working on making sure the whole world has Internet. You know...out of the goodness of our hearts. (Bursts out laughing). And yes, these balloons and satellites will have cameras too. You can be in the poorest country in the world and still everyone has a cell phone.

  32. I wanna shit in the CEO's mouth by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Directly down his windpipe

  33. That's not AI by Afty0r · · Score: 1

    It's a combination of geo-targetting, data-mining, simply calendar comparison algorithms, trivial pattern matching and showing someone a picture alongside a binary choice.

    1. Re:That's not AI by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      It's a combination of geo-targetting, data-mining, simply calendar comparison algorithms, trivial pattern matching and showing someone a picture alongside a binary choice.

      To many people on slashdot, a thermostat counts as AI.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  34. Ashley Madison has this beat. by nuckfuts · · Score: 1

    They'll set you up on a date with AI.

  35. Could be worse by RogueWarrior65 · · Score: 1

    This story makes me ponder the few times my "friends" tried to fix me up with someone without even considering my type. "She's single" is not a useful commonality. And in the 2010's, saying "She's into computers" doesn't mean the same thing it did during the 1980s. So, my "friends" clearly lacked intelligence in this matter so it remains to be seen if there is any "intelligence" in a piece of software.

    1. Re:Could be worse by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      FYI: "She's single" is codespeak for "so you've actually got a shot at getting laid if you act quickly."

      tl;dr: They were trying to "hook you up" not find you a wife.

  36. The AI needs to be very specific... by Z80a · · Score: 1

    Or "That girl is interested in you" might mean "that girl want to have her really bizarre fetish realized and it includes you and a thomas the tank engine costume".

    1. Re:The AI needs to be very specific... by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      Or "That girl is interested in you" might mean "that girl want to have her really bizarre fetish realized and it includes you and a thomas the tank engine costume".

      Yeah, and depending on the time of evening it might be tricky rustling up the costume at short notice.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  37. Tinder's forced FB auth makes this irrelevant by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I won't use Tinder because it requires Facebook. Fuck you, Tinder.