Bumble is bringing artificial intelligence into the dating world with a new AI assistant designed to help users find more compatible partners. During its fourth-quarter earnings call on Wednesday, the company announced “Bee,” a generative AI tool built to act as a personal matchmaker inside the app.
Bee is designed to learn about users through private conversations, collecting insights about their “values, relationship goals, communication style, lifestyle, and dating intentions.” The system then uses that information to recommend matches that better align with what users are actually looking for.
Bumble founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd told investors that Bee is currently being tested internally, with a public beta expected soon.
The AI assistant will first power a new feature called “Dates.” Through a private onboarding conversation, Bee will learn about the user before pairing them with someone who shares similar intentions and values. Both users will receive a notification explaining why the app believes they could be a strong match.
Bumble says users will interact with Bee much like other AI chatbots, communicating through conversational typing or voice.
The move is part of a larger effort to refresh the platform as younger users, especially Gen Z, grow tired of swipe-based dating. Wolfe Herd said the company may even test removing swiping in some markets while introducing “chapter-based” profiles that allow users to connect through different parts of their life story.
Bumble reported fourth-quarter revenue of $224.2 million, while average revenue per paying user rose 7.9% to $22.20. The company’s stock jumped about 40% following the announcement.
