Sarah Jacobson 
Match introduced a human matchmaking element to its dating app that uses AI. Match is hoping the new feature will help people find “their soulmate.” The company says it’s aiming for deeper connections and more meaningful relationships with their matching process, which includes three-way text messaging among potential matches before they make contact in person.
Match, a popular dating app in the United States, has recently introduced a human matchmaking element to its application. Match will now use its own algorithm to pair people based on compatibility. This is a new business model for the company and one that may be successful in the long run.
Match Group Inc. has added matchmakers to its eponymous dating app, allowing users to apply a modest human filter to the romantic ideas generated by the algorithm, according to the business.
A 50-person staff, all of whom have been educated as dating coaches by the firm, will choose two profiles for participating users each week from the same algorithmically-generated pool that the site presently offers.
They’ll be directed by members’ responses to four questions regarding, among other things, what they’d alter about their dating lives, who they lean toward, and so on. The cost of the service is $4.99 per week.
According to Amarnath Thombre, chief executive of Match Group Americas, the feature was established because the epidemic has increased a sense of urgency to finding a long-term partnership for certain people.
Mr. Thombre said, “People have had enough time to ponder on what actually important to me, what makes me happy.” “They’re also becoming more specific about who they want to be.”
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According to Rachel DeAlto, chief dating expert at Match, the experts may filter down the applicant pool, bringing forth persons who could be more suited.
“It’s basically about showcasing folks and assisting them in not feeling as overwhelmed or upset,” she said.
People may create profiles, look at other profiles, and interact with the system’s “best selections” for them for free, but they must pay a monthly fee to speak with the whole pool of users. Sending limitless “likes” to other users and the opportunity to promote one’s profile in other members’ search results are two more optional add-ons.
Dating services are likewise fighting to improve the quality of their services. In April 2020, Match introduced free video calls since social distance made in-person dating more difficult. Tinder and Hinge, both owned by Match Group, have also introduced new features, such as Tinder’s new Explore section, which connects individuals based on their interests.
During the epidemic, several dating apps saw an upsurge in users. In the third quarter, Match Group claimed 16.3 million paying customers, up from 14 million a year before. In the most recent quarter, the company generated $802 million in sales, up from $640 million the year before.
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According to Brendan Gahan, partner and chief social officer of Mekanism Inc., algorithms can address many problems, but they can’t always discern context hints between people’s preferences on a dating app.
“We won’t depend simply on algorithms—we want a human touch to assist provide that human aspect and drive closeness even further,” he stated.
Traditional matching agencies are expensive, costing thousands of dollars for a few months. Customers who don’t have time to search through prospects on applications would benefit from these services, according to Tammy Shaklee, founder and matchmaker of He’s For Me LLC, which runs H4M Matching, an LGBTQ dating service.
Matchmakers will only contact individuals if they believe they have found a prospective life mate, not simply another date, according to Ms. Shaklee.
According to Nick Notas, a dating counselor for men at Eros Consulting Inc., the new Match function helps humanize online dating by mirroring what many single people currently do, such as asking others for dating advice.
“The frustration, loneliness, and everything else that comes with online dating cloud your judgment at times, and it’s difficult to take a step back and look at things objectively,” Mr. Notas said.
Ann-Marie Alcántara can be reached at ann-marie.alcantara@wsj.com.
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Match Introduces a Human Matchmaking Element to Its Dating App. The app is designed with an emphasis on human interaction and compatibility, in contrast to the traditional approach of algorithms and data. Reference: matchmaking business plan.
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