Grindr Tests AI Matchmaking Feature Edge in Australia Amid Dating App Fatigue and Safety Concerns
Grindr, the popular dating app for gay and bisexual men, is piloting a new AI-powered subscription feature called Edge in Australia and New Zealand. This premium service, priced at A$109.99 per month in Australia, aims to enhance user experience by providing AI-generated summaries of conversations and identifying potential matches based on statistics and interaction history. The move comes as the app faces growing competition and ongoing safety issues, including concerns about underage users and violent attacks.
Premium Pricing and AI Functionality
The Edge feature represents a significant price jump from Grindr's basic subscription, which costs A$29.99 monthly. Pricing varies by market, with some users in the United States reporting costs as high as US$349 per month. Edge includes several advanced functionalities: AI summaries of past conversations allow users to quickly reconnect with others when visiting new cities without scrolling through lengthy message histories. Additionally, the AI model, internally dubbed "gAI," analyzes user profiles, stats, and conversation patterns to suggest likely matches and predict which users might initiate contact.
Tristan Pineiro, Grindr's global chief marketing officer, explained that Australia serves as an ideal test market due to its population of early adopters who provide valuable feedback. He noted that while most users remain on the free plan without AI features, their profiles can still be matched with Edge subscribers unless they opt out. Pineiro emphasized that users have clear options to exclude their data from AI processing, and sexual health information is specifically excluded from AI access to protect privacy.
Safety Measures and Regulatory Compliance
Grindr has implemented AI tools to detect underage users by analyzing messages that may indicate someone is under 18. Since December, in compliance with eSafety online codes, the app has also introduced age verification in Australia through facial recognition or ID checks. These measures aim to prevent minors from accessing the platform and curb malicious activities, such as individuals using fake profiles to arrange meetings that lead to assaults or robberies.
A recent Victorian parliamentary inquiry will investigate these crimes and the potential influence of "manosphere" influencers in encouraging homophobic attacks, following reports by Guardian Australia. Grindr's safety initiatives are part of a broader effort to address user concerns while maintaining the app's immediacy and accessibility, which Pineiro credits for its strong appeal among 18 to 24-year-olds despite gen Z dating app fatigue reported by other platforms.
Market Context and User Base
Grindr boasts 15 million monthly active users worldwide, displaying profiles in a grid format based on proximity to facilitate connections ranging from casual hook-ups to serious dating. Since going public in 2022, the company has increasingly monetized features through paid subscriptions, including expanded visibility ranges, while incorporating pop-up ads for free accounts. The introduction of Edge reflects Grindr's strategy to innovate amid competition from apps like Sniffies, leveraging AI to enhance matchmaking efficiency while navigating complex safety and privacy landscapes.
