Hinge’s New AI Convo Starters: AI Help for Better First Messages

Anyone who has used a dating app knows the familiar frustration: you match, someone “likes” your profile, and then… nothing. That silence can put all the pressure on one person to break the ice, and when a message does arrive, it is often the same recycled openers or ultra basic small talk like “How are you?”. Hinge says this pattern is common enough that it has started to drag on the experience for many users, especially those who feel they are constantly expected to carry the conversation from the first line 

To nudge matches toward more meaningful first messages, Hinge has introduced “Convo Starters,” an AI powered feature that generates personalized tips for initiating a conversation. After a user likes someone’s profile, Hinge displays three tailored suggestions beneath the other person’s photos and prompts. The system analyzes what is actually on the profile and produces openers tied to specific details, aiming to make starting a chat feel less intimidating and more natural. For instance, if someone is shown playing chess or lists it as an interest, the app might recommend opening with a question about board games, rather than a generic greeting (TechCrunch).

Hinge frames Convo Starters as a direct response to user feedback and its own internal research on what works. According to the company, 72% of Hinge daters are more likely to consider someone when a “like” includes a message, suggesting that a small effort up front can meaningfully change how a match is perceived. The company also reports that users who add a comment with their likes are twice as likely to set up a date, reinforcing the idea that conversation quality matters long before anyone meets in person . In other words, the feature is not just about reducing awkward openings, it is designed to increase the odds that matches turn into real momentum (YahooTech).

Convo Starters also fits into a broader push by Hinge to use AI as a coaching layer rather than a replacement for real connection. The company recently launched “Prompt Feedback,” another AI driven tool that reviews the prompts in a user’s profile and suggests improvements by encouraging people to expand on their answers and share more engaging details about their lives. Still, this direction comes with a clear tension: as AI becomes more visible in dating workflows, some users worry it could make interactions feel less authentic. A Bloomberg Intelligence survey cited in reporting found Gen Z is more uneasy than older generations about using AI for writing profile prompts and replying to messages, highlighting a particular sensitivity around anything that looks like outsourcing personality (Mezha).

Match Group, Hinge’s parent company, is investing roughly $20 million to $30 million in AI initiatives, signaling that features like this are likely a preview of where major dating platforms are headed. Industry observers have already been discussing the next wave of “intelligent prompts” and how assistants could make conversations more personalized while still preserving the genuineness people want when meeting someone new. The challenge for Hinge and its competitors will be balance: using AI to help users show up as their best selves, without turning dating into a script. If that balance is struck, tools like Convo Starters could help more matches move past stale openers and toward the kind of exchanges that actually lead somewhere (TechCrunch).

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Works Cited

“Hinge AI Feature Helps Daters Move Beyond Boring Small Talk.” Yahoo Tech, n.d., https://tech.yahoo.com/apps/articles/hinge-ai-feature-helps-daters-130000280.html.

“Hinge Introduces AI Convo Starters for Personalized Dating Conversations.” Mezha Media, n.d., https://mezha.net/eng/bukvy/hinge-introduces-ai-convo-starters-for-personalized-dating-conversations/.

“Hinge’s New AI Feature Helps Daters Start Better Convos, Moving Beyond Boring Small Talk.” TechCrunch, 8 Dec. 2025, https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/08/hinges-new-ai-feature-helps-daters-start-better-convos-moving-beyond-boring-small-talk/.

Edmonds, Lauren. “Hinge CEO Says Dating Isn’t Something People Should Delegate to AI.” Business Insider, 14 Feb. 2025, https://www.businessinsider.com/hinge-ceo-says-dating-not-something-to-delegate-to-ai-2025-2.