There’s a new reason to avoid buddying up to ChatGPT, at least if you’re single: Daters find it deeply unattractive.
In a recent survey of 3,500 Gen Z and Millennial daters in the U.S., the dating app Hily found that using AI is, quite simply, not a flex. In fact, it’s a major turnoff when it comes to romance and potential partnership.
Younger daters are especially likely to view AI reliance as a red flag. While 56% of Millennial respondents said they wouldn’t date someone who uses AI regularly, that figure rose to 64% among Gen Z.
More than half of Gen Z daters surveyed said they’d consider it a dealbreaker if someone used AI for career advice or spending decisions, compared with 46% and 44% of Millennials, respectively.
The aversion gets stronger as the AI use becomes more personal. Three-quarters of Gen Z respondents said using AI to “analyze a relationship conflict” was a no-go, compared with 70% of Millennials. And 69% of Gen Zers said they wouldn’t date someone who used AI like a therapist, versus 60% of Millennials. Asking AI whether something in your sex life is healthy was also a turnoff, with 62% of Gen Z and 53% of Millennials calling it a dealbreaker.
Even in long-term relationships, the ick seems to linger: 65% of Gen Z said they wouldn’t marry a partner who used AI to help write their wedding vows, compared with 51% of Millennials.
The data may seem extreme, given how widespread AI use has become. But experts say it is not surprising that daters are wary of people who lean on the technology too much. “Being dependent on AI is a turnoff because it feels like you’re interacting with a filtered, hyper-optimized version of your date, not who they really are,” Julie Nguyen, a certified dating coach at Hily tells Fast Company. “There’s something that can feel strange about not knowing if you’re interacting with their full authenticity and vulnerability,” she adds.
Given that AI is such a red flag, not using it may be a green one. Sixty percent of Gen Z and 54% of Millennials said they would find a dating prospect “extremely attractive” if they never used AI to make personal decisions.
As reliance on AI grows, so does the list of reasons critics say people should be wary of it. From troubling environmental concerns, to feeling or unsure how to use the technology to get solid results, to new worrisome findings on AI’s impacts on our brains, the wariness makes practical sense. Of course, attitudes toward AI could shift over time, potentially leading to a less AI-averse dating pool.
For now, though, among people seeking romance, learning that AI dependence is an instant turnoff may be one of the most tangible reasons to avoid it.