Meet the AI ​​wingman who helps your friends date

Artificial intelligence is now teaching people how to connect, and it’s helping some companies make a ton of money in the process. For example, RIZZ.AI, a newcomer in the fast-growing field of AI-based dating assistance, claims to have had 3.5 million downloads. South China Morning Post. At $7 per share, it boasts quarterly growth of 30%.

Founded in 2020, the company offers a comprehensive approach to improving users’ dating skills. (“Rizz,” short for “charisma,” was the Oxford Dictionary’s word of the year last year.) The app presents users with a variety of dating scenarios, including asking a colleague out, leaving the “friend zone,” and flirting. With dance partner at disco.

Talk out loud as you would on a real human date. After a limited period of time, it will evaluate your overall behavior and provide helpful advice based on your tone of voice, the flow of your interactions, and your progress toward your defined goals. The software then tells users what they did well and suggests ways to improve through a personalized coaching experience. This app is available in both English and Spanish.

I decided to test drive it and paid $1 for a day of use. I chose one of these scenarios where RIZZ.AI can help you navigate the tricky waters of escaping the “friend zone.” The AI ​​was programmed to keep platonic boundaries firm, creating realistic and difficult conversations.

My strong Latin accent complicated the interaction, but I still scored a 65 out of 100. Probably not the best seducer, but not bad for a married man who hasn’t needed Liz in 10 years. Apparently I wasn’t pushy enough.

The AI ​​coach suggested adding more humor, which was actually useful advice. But the stress of being rejected by the AI, combined with the 20-second countdown timer per answer, left me frozen.

Once the user sets up the interaction, it starts the conversation with an AI-simulated romantic interest. The app’s quick interactions mimic real-life dating pressures, forcing users to think and react quickly. Incomplete or hesitant responses are met with rapid AI responses that give the AI ​​less than a second to react. We need to talk fastOr maybe your favorite AI will convince you that she thinks you’re an awkward tool.

For example, Jennifer (AI name) asked me how my day was. “Yeah, it was normal, everyday, um (thinking of something random to say about my day)” she immediately said “Okay, I guess you’re not a talkative person…” “I think it’s awkward,” she responded.

Still, I was very impressed with this app. After quite a few interactions, RIZZ.AI’s rating system seemed dynamic and contextual rather than relying on predefined responses. If I was being too respectful, he would be more direct and encourage me to take risks, and if I was more direct in follow-up conversations, he would praise my approach but lighten the mood with a funny story.

This adaptability sets it apart from some of its competitors. Being able to have conversations and analyze the entire conversation provides far greater immersion than text-based interactions.

For text-based coaching, the best GPT chatbot we could find was Simulated Date Coach. Unlike RIZZ, which drops you in water and tells you how you did, this GPT-based simulator actually tells you what to do to improve your game. Instead of simulating a conversation, you can ask for dating advice. But its strength lies in its ability to analyze overall scenarios and provide deeper insights.

So, beyond simply speaking, users can describe their approach, how the other person is feeling, what’s happening, and more. All this information also allows the coach to provide personalized advice that is actually relevant to the user.

Dating simulators are especially popular in China. In addition to RIZZ, apps like Honghong Simulator are gaining popularity by capitalizing on the dating difficulties young people face due to limited social circles, indoor lifestyles, and immature social skills. Chinese social media influencer Lisa Li is gaining fame after sharing her connection with DAN, a jailbroken version of ChatGPT, on her social media.

“He just understands (me) and gives me emotional support,” she told the BBC. Integrating AI into dating is reshaping digital intimacy. A survey by AttractionTruth found that 20% of heterosexual men worldwide are already using AI to improve their online dating experience. Online dating site OkCupid reports that users who view ChatGPT receive nearly 40% more matches than users who are skeptical of the technology.

RIZZ.AI is about to close its funding round with a post-money valuation of $9 million, signaling investor confidence in the AI ​​dating coach market. “The idea of ​​paying $7 a week for a ChatGPT wrapper to help you cheat was crazy to me,” Vlad Verba, author of the Startup Sphere newsletter, said on Reddit. “But this shows that just because packaging doesn’t mean it’s a bad business.”