Justin McLeod, the founder and CEO of popular relationship-focused dating app Hinge, is stepping down from his leadership role to launch a new venture: Overtone, an AI dating app. This strategic move sees McLeod venturing into the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence in online dating, backed by industry giant Match Group.

Match Group, the parent company behind leading dating platforms like Hinge, Tinder, and OkCupid, is providing Overtone with pre-seed financing and plans to secure a “substantial ownership position,” according to a recent press release. Overtone was initially incubated as an internal project within Hinge with Match’s support. McLeod and a dedicated team have spent the past year developing Overtone, which is described as “an early-stage dating service focused on using AI and voice tools to help people connect in a more thoughtful and personal way.”

The Growing Trend of AI in Dating

McLeod is not alone in exploring new, standalone AI experiences within the dating sector. Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder of rival dating app Bumble, has also expressed her ambition to leverage AI to create “the world’s smartest and most emotionally intelligent matchmaker in existence.” Notably, Wolfe Herd previously proposed the controversial idea of singles using AI personas to date other people’s AIs, sparking considerable debate.

The push towards AI integration comes as the online dating market faces increasing disillusionment, particularly among Gen Z users. Traditional dating apps are grappling with challenges like “swipe fatigue” and a general malaise with digital connections. Tinder, for instance, has reported nine consecutive quarters of declining paying subscribers, prompting it to invest heavily in AI features designed to boost user engagement and matches.

Current AI Innovations in Dating Apps

  • Hinge: Recently launched “Convo Starters,” an AI feature aimed at helping daters move beyond mundane small talk and initiate more engaging conversations.
  • Tinder & Facebook Dating: Both platforms have experimented with AI-powered matching algorithms to combat “swipe fatigue” and improve compatibility.
  • Tinder’s “Chemistry”: Match Group CEO Spencer Rascoff revealed that a “major pillar of Tinder’s upcoming 2026 product experience” will be “Chemistry.” This feature, with user permission, will access users’ camera rolls to gather more personal insights. (It’s worth noting that providing tech companies with unfettered access to personal data raises significant privacy concerns.)

Leadership Transition at Hinge

While the potential for AI in dating is clear, how Overtone will distinguish itself from existing apps already experimenting with similar features remains to be seen. Meanwhile, Hinge, founded by McLeod in 2011 with a focus on fostering genuine relationships over casual encounters, is set for a leadership transition.

Hinge, which was acquired by Match in 2019 and is projected to hit $1 billion in revenue by 2027, will now be led by Jackie Jantos. Jantos, previously Hinge’s president and chief marketing officer, will take over as CEO. McLeod will continue to serve in an advisory capacity at Hinge until March.

Jantos has previously spoken about Hinge’s strategy for engaging Gen Z, a demographic increasingly disillusioned with online dating. “This is a generation that has grown up with a deep understanding of how digital experiences are created and what they are trying to get out of them,” Jantos told TechCrunch. She emphasized Gen Z’s demand for transparency and authenticity from digital brands.

Despite the broader skepticism around AI in dating, Hinge’s own AI recommendation feature, launched in March, has shown promising results, driving a 15% increase in matches and contact exchanges in the first quarter of this year. Under Jantos’s leadership, Hinge appears committed to continued investment in these innovative features.

“Our focus will remain on intentional innovation that is grounded in culture, creativity, and a deep understanding of how people connect today,” Jantos stated, outlining Hinge’s future direction.