Lauren Goode: I also think that if there is a bright spot, this will probably be some of the apps that are very specific to people who help people win what they are looking for and find someone who is tailored to what they want, or that is someone who is super niche interest Whether cultural values or even a disability shares, people who are just like: “I have to find someone who actually understands this.” I think there are many positives in dating apps.
Michael Calore: Yes. Another place where AI makes a number of interesting improvements to the app experience is through the matchmaking, so that you actually get a smaller subset of people where it thinks you can best fit. Instead of only showing you the old algorithm, there is a new algorithm that gives you a better selection, and that is a bit interesting. So yes, I don't think these things will prevent people from using the apps, and I don't think they will necessarily make one of the other problems disappear from the apps, but they can lead to more meaningful connections to people faster.
Lauren Goode: We are going on this on a positive note, right guys? We are going to be all people looking for love, something to hope for.
Michael Calore: Embrace.
Lauren Goode: We are like: “Look, nobody uses the apps anymore. The income is down, executive shakups, scams, spam, bots, but keep looking.”
Michael Calore: Buy the ticket, take the ride. Embrace the AI matchmaker and the AI chatbot. Let it do all the work for you. Okay, so to close ourselves, let's pretend to go back to Irl and we go out to meet someone. What is the ideal place to meet someone?
Zoë Schiffer: I mean, I met my husband in a book club and I thought that was a fairly good place.
Lauren Goode: That's pretty good. Gosh, I don't know. I would probably say the party of a friend or something. Or maybe something like a piano bar, and then you have to find out if the person is there because they are ironic or really love piano.
Michael Calore: And probably both would be good, right?
Lauren Goode: Certainly. Yes.
Michael Calore: You want a bit of the person who is really serious, and you want the person there is, ironically.
Lauren Goode: Yes.
Michael Calore: I would probably say that the best place to meet someone is on a bike ride.
Lauren Goode: It is difficult to have the conversation.
Michael Calore: However, there are group rides.
Zoë Schiffer: Oh, anyway. And then there is always coffee and cake.
Michael Calore: After that there is always coffee and cake.
Zoë Schiffer: That's a good one.
Lauren Goode: I like that.
Michael Calore: Nobody said Instagram.
Lauren Goode: No. Nobody did it.
Michael Calore: Slide in those DMS people, it's Valentine's Day.
Lauren Goode: Seems a good place to end it.
Michael Calore: Thank you for listening to Uncanny Valley. If you liked what you heard today, follow our show and rate it on your podcast app of your choice. To contact us with questions, comments or suggestions, you can write to us at uncannyvalley@CBNewz. Today's show was produced by Kyana Mogadam. Matt Giles checked this episode. Amar Lal at Macrosound, mixed this episode. Jordan Bell is our executive producer. Katie Drummond is the editor -in -chief of Wired and Chris Bannon is the head of Global Audio.
