Gen Z dating apps like Ditto ditch swiping in favor of AI matchmaking
Disillusioned with traditional dating apps, Gen Z co-founders launch Ditto to handle matchmaking via AI and deliver matches every Wednesday.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Ditto is a new Gen Z dating app that completely removes the swiping feature
- Co-founders Allen Wang and Eric Liu dropped out of UC Berkeley to build the platform
- The app delivers weekly matches to users every Wednesday at 7 PM
- Ditto has reached 150,000 signups with roughly 20% of connected matches resulting in actual dates
Young adults in their twenties are growing so frustrated with swipe-based dating platforms that they are willing to try virtually anything new, including an AI-powered matchmaker. After leaving UC Berkeley, Ditto co-founders Allen Wang and Eric Liu set out to design a solution that helps their peers connect without requiring hours of weekly effort to wade through traditional apps like Tinder and Hinge.
As members of Gen Z themselves, Ditto founder Allen Wang shared with TechCrunch that they witnessed firsthand how interpersonal connections are shifting. People are growing exhausted from endless swiping and superficial small talk, leading them to search for genuine interactions in the physical world.
"As Gen Z ourselves, we were firsthand witnessing the behavioral shift in terms of how people are connecting with each other. We see that people are getting super tired of all the endless swiping and endless small talk, and they’re really looking for something more genuine in real life."
Allen Wang
The onboarding experience begins with users answering text-based prompts starting with standard biographical details like name, gender, and date of birth. Following that, Ditto asks specific questions to gauge personality traits, personal interests, and dating preferences. Some users even upload photographs of their celebrity crushes to help the AI better understand their specific type.
The shift from swiping interfaces to AI matchmakers highlights growing consumer fatigue with legacy dating apps that often prioritize quantity over meaningful connection. By analyzing the deeper psychological meaning behind hobbies rather than just surface-level shared interests, Ditto attempts to solve the core frustrations of younger demographics seeking authentic relationships.
The Ditto algorithm attempts to connect individuals not merely based on shared hobbies and interests, but by analyzing what those specific hobbies reveal about a person's core identity. Following this analysis, Ditto messages users every Wednesday at 7 PM with their designated match for the week.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Ditto has accumulated 150,000 signups so far, and Wang notes that roughly 20% of the matches connected through the platform ultimately go out on a date. For anyone who thinks that percentage sounds low, they likely have never used Tinder before. Furthermore, Ditto generates a collage-style graphic to introduce users to one another and outline why they make a strong match—an aesthetic trend popular among Gen Z that other connection apps created by young founders, such as Sonder, have also embraced.
Source: TechCrunch
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