AI Can also Become a Love Coach
Mr. Wang, a 32-year-old man, has been single since birth and recently met a potential partner at work. Mr. Wang is eager to take the next step, but he lacks dating experience and needs advice. Unfortunately, his friends are either casual playboys or already married with children, making it difficult for them to listen to Mr. Wang’s relationship problems. In a desperate situation, Mr. Wang decides to try a new method: seeking advice from AI.
That’s right, AI is not only a helpful tool at work, but now it can also guide humans on “how to make friends.” An AI dating assistant app called “RIZZ.AI” has gained popularity among Chinese users. According to Decrypt, RIZZ.AI can simulate a dating environment, allowing users to practice their communication skills and reduce the risk of saying the wrong things or causing awkward moments in real-life dates.
After trying it out, the Decrypt reporter mentioned that RIZZ.AI presents the pressures of real-world dating through timed interactions, forcing users to think and respond quickly. For example, when the AI asks the user, “How was your day today?” and the user responds with, “Hmm, it was okay, just like any other day… um… (while thinking about the next topic to chat about),” the AI quickly responds with, “Well, it seems like you’re not good with words… so awkward.” It delivers a blow to the user.
However, the Decrypt reporter also mentioned that after multiple interactions, RIZZ.AI’s evaluation system detects the context and provides suggestions accordingly. For instance, if the user is too reserved during the interaction with AI, the AI will suggest being more direct. And when the user becomes bolder in subsequent interactions, the AI will provide encouragement.
The strict training of RIZZ.AI has its reasons, as stated by the official website: “Speaking is like a muscle, so should we train it like we train our muscles?”
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AI love coaches are popular among China’s younger generation
There are increasing numbers of AI love coaching programs on the market. For example, Meeno provides relationship advice, Simulated Date Coach trains using the GPT model, and there are many other apps with “RIZZ” in their names (Rizz is short for “charisma,” a term popular among Generation Z, meaning someone is attractive or charming).
You might wonder if anyone really needs these kinds of apps. According to a survey by AI dating tool AttractionTruth, 20% of heterosexual men worldwide have started using AI to enhance their online dating experiences. Additionally, a report from the dating website OkCupid shows that users who have a positive view of ChatGPT receive nearly 40% more matches compared to users who are skeptical about the technology, as they can make better use of AI to improve the interaction and matching process.
In fact, the South China Morning Post recently reported that socially awkward and long-term single young people in China are actively using AI love coaches to improve their dating skills. A report from the China Youth Daily Social Survey Center in 2023 revealed that young people generally lack social skills and find it difficult to make friends outside their comfort zone. Among over 2,000 single respondents, 60% said they have fewer than two close friends. Apps like RIZZ.AI allow nervous young people to interact with AI characters in virtual scenarios and learn how to handle various dating situations.
According to Business Insider, while Chinese society seeks assistance from AI love coaches, the country’s marriage and birth rates are declining rapidly. The marriage rate in the first three months of 2024 decreased by 8.2% compared to the same period last year. The government has also implemented policies such as cash incentives for childbirth and additional paid marriage leave to boost marriage and birth rates.
AI has brought new opportunities to the digitally immersed and socially awkward younger generation. However, even though AI can enhance social skills and confidence, one must be cautious of the negative effects of excessive reliance, which can limit users from accumulating real-life social experiences.
Sources:
Decrypt, Time, Business Insider
