"It's a well-worn adage of the Internet age: people often aren't what they seem to be online. But until recently, you could at least be assured that they were people. Now, though, chatfishing, a new wave of online deception, is taking over dating apps. Instead of catfishingusing an entirely fake identitypeople are using artificial intelligence to help them chat up prospective love interests and secure dates."
"People on dating apps may copy and paste their prospective date's messages into chatbots such as ChatGPT or give it screenshots of text conversations, seeking advice. Wingman apps such as Rizz, Winggg and YourMove AI suggest responses to uploaded screenshots of incoming messages; the marketing for YourMove AI claims that it puts your texting on cruise control. Some dating platforms are also adopting AI coaching."
"A recent survey by Match and researchers at the Kinsey Institute found that 26 percent of U.S. singles said they use AI to enhance datinga 333 percent jump from the year before. A 2025 study from Norton supports this: six in 10 people who use dating apps believe they've encountered at least one conversation written by AI. And Time reported that the Rizz app drew roughly 1.5 million monthly active users last year."
Chatfishing describes the use of artificial intelligence to craft messages and simulate conversations on dating apps, rather than creating entirely fake identities. Users copy and paste messages into chatbots like ChatGPT or upload screenshots to wingman apps such as Rizz, Winggg and YourMove AI for suggested replies. Dating platforms employ AI coaching tools; Hinge offers AI-assisted prompt improvements and Facebook Dating tests an assistant for date ideas. Volar allowed users to train AI replicas to flirt with other AIs before human interaction but shuttered in 2024. Surveys show rapid adoption: 26 percent of U.S. singles reported using AI for dating, and many users believe they encounter AI-written messages.
Read at www.scientificamerican.com
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