Grindr taps AWS, Anthropic for new AI match feature

Grindr has updated its AI strategy, now partnering with Amazon Web Services and Anthropic for its “Wingman” product.

The new “A-List” feature will use Anthropic’s Claude Sonnet 3.7 model and Amazon’s Bedrock tool to help users reconnect with past connections and identify new matches through curated lists and chat summaries.

It will roll out to 25% of Grindr Unlimited subscribers by the end of April.

CEO George Arison said the switch to Amazon was driven by privacy concerns and the flexibility of Bedrock to support multiple AI models.

He noted better performance compared to previous bots from Ex-human Inc., which now shifts to a consulting role under a new agreement.

Grindr is limiting the AI rollout to control costs and has cut per-user expenses by 50% in four months. The app had 14.2 million monthly active users in 2024, up 7% year-on-year.

🔗 Source: Bloomberg

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Dating apps’ evolution from location pioneers to AI matchmakers marks a fundamental business model shift

Grindr’s journey illustrates the dramatic evolution of dating platforms, having launched in 2009 as the first app to leverage the iPhone 3G’s GPS capabilities for location-based connections 1.

This geolocation approach helped Grindr grow to 3.6 million daily active users by 2018, establishing a model that virtually all dating apps would eventually adopt 1.

The current pivot to AI represents the industry’s second major technological transformation, with companies like Grindr, Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble all racing to implement AI features that go beyond simple location matching 2.

Dating platforms are moving from connecting users based primarily on proximity to using AI for qualitative matching through features like Grindr’s “A-List,” which surfaces meaningful past connections and generates conversation summaries 2.

The industry shift reflects a maturing business strategy. After solving the basic “who’s nearby” problem, dating apps are now competing on their ability to create meaningful connections through algorithmic intelligence, potentially addressing user burnout that has led to stagnating growth 3.

2️⃣ AI in dating follows familiar premium feature strategy while balancing cost management

Grindr’s approach of limiting its AI features to 25% of premium subscribers mirrors how dating apps historically monetize new technologies—by reserving them for paying users rather than the general user base 4.