AI Dating App Ditto Ditches Swiping for Computer-Generated Matchmaking on College Campuses

A new AI-powered dating service called Ditto is rapidly gaining traction on college campuses across the United States, offering an alternative to traditional swipe-based applications like Tinder.

Ditto, a startup launched in 2024 by former UC Berkeley students, aims to move beyond the model of endless profile scrolling. Instead, users complete a survey, allowing the platform's artificial intelligence to generate compatible matches. New pairings are released every Wednesday, and the system goes a step further by creating a suggested itinerary for the initial meeting.

The app has expanded beyond its initial launch in Berkeley and is now operational at nine universities in California and other campuses nationwide. Ditto claims its AI-first approach is resonating with Gen Z, positioning itself as a more advanced method of online dating.

According to the company, Ditto has facilitated over 12,000 dates, with a reported 92% of matched participants expressing interest in a second date. The startup's philosophy, as stated on its website, suggests that previous methods of online connection were "primitive" and that AI can now "bring your ‘profiles’ to life as agents."

The rise of Ditto coincides with growing national attention on the issue of loneliness. In a 2023 advisory, former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy described loneliness as an "epidemic," emphasizing the need for investments in social connection comparable to those made for public health crises like substance abuse.

While the long-term impact of AI in the dating sphere remains to be seen, Ditto is actively pursuing the idea that artificial intelligence can offer a more effective way for college students to find compatible partners, potentially moving away from the swipe-and-see model popularized by earlier dating apps.