Hinge founder, Justin McLeod, is working on a new dating app that uses (surpise, surprise) AI.
On apps like Tinder or Hinge, users still choose their matches themselves—at least for now. But Overtone, a new AI venture created by Hinge founder Justin McLeod, could fundamentally change that.
The project relies on artificial intelligence, voice technology, and relationship science to connect people who are highly compatible. While this undoubtedly represents a new approach to online romance, it has also raised concerns among many users.
To some, the idea of an AI selecting your perfect partner sounds more like an episode of Black Mirror than a helpful smartphone tool.
Overtone Removes the Swiping Completely
Overtone aims to use AI alongside voice and audio features to eliminate traditional dating app fatigue. Backed by an $18 million funding round that includes Hinge parent Match Group, this startup is far more than just an experimental side project.
What makes the concept particularly interesting is that McLeod insists Overtone is not a traditional dating app at all. Instead of asking users to scroll through profiles reducing people to stats, photos, and text bios, Overtone uses spoken interviews. The AI listens to users in their own voice to understand their personality, values, and relationship goals, delivering only a small number of highly curated introductions.
The project was originally incubated within Hinge before McLeod stepped down as CEO in late 2025 to launch it as an independent company. McLeod has repeatedly argued that AI should be used to elevate human matchmaking rather than replace human connection.
Where Is the Line Between Helpful and Problematic?
While mainstream platforms already rely heavily on algorithms to filter who appears on your screen, Overtone takes curation to a much more intimate level. The system will even explicitly explain to users exactly why it believes two people are a strong match rather than leaving them to guess.
The real question, then, is not just whether AI will choose your partner, but how much automated assistance users are comfortable with before it feels problematic.
There are also valid concerns regarding privacy and algorithmic bias. An audio-first system requires processing vast amounts of personal data—including voice notes, intimate conversations, and deep behavioral patterns. Critics fear that users may end up sharing far more private information than they normally would on traditional dating platforms.
Algorithms are not automatically neutral, either. Experts have warned for years that recommendation systems can unintentionally reinforce social biases. Certain demographics could be systematically disadvantaged based on ethnicity, vocal patterns, or socioeconomic backgrounds if the training data is flawed.
That is where many see the true turning point. With standard apps, users ultimately control the discovery process. AI, however, could soon dictate which pool of people we are exposed to in the first place—indirectly shaping who we have the opportunity to fall in love with.
How much influence should artificial intelligence really have over our love lives? After all, algorithms have already been quietly steering digital romance for over a decade.
The only question that remains is: when will we see dating apps built exclusively for AI, since robot marriage is apparently a thing now?
Would you let an AI matchmaker choose your partner, or does that cross a line? Let us know in the comments!
