Tinder recently announced a partnership with OpenAI to launch "Game Game," an AI-powered voice flirting game. Leveraging OpenAI's voice models and GPT-4's reasoning capabilities, the game encourages users to role-play in various hypothetical encounter scenarios, earning points based on their flirting prowess. The company emphasizes that voice data collected in the game will not be used to train any new AI models.
Spencer Rascoff, recently appointed CEO of Tinder's parent company Match Group and co-founder of Zillow, personally demonstrated the game in an Instagram video. In the video, the 49-year-old executive interacted with a 32-year-old AI character named "Mila," a detail that sparked some speculation about his personal preferences. In a scene set in a party kitchen, Rascoff told the cartoonish, robotic-voiced "Mila" that he "really enjoys cooking," later calling her "hot," with the conversation described as an "exceedingly awkward" experience.
Image Source Note: Image generated by AI, licensed through Midjourney
Hillary Paine, Tinder's VP of Growth and Product, told Fast Company that the game's awkward elements are, in fact, a deliberate design choice. She cited the company's 2023 research: "Our 'Future of Dating' report found that 64% of young singles are totally okay with a little awkwardness as long as it leads to a genuine connection." Paine further explained, "We didn't want it to feel too polished or high-pressure. Instead, we leaned into humor, awkwardness, and low-stakes moments to help users practice flirting in a fun, playful, and non-judgmental way."
However, a Futurism reporter testing the game discovered a significant technical flaw: when used through a Bluetooth speaker, the AI character's voice echoed repeatedly, as if responding to itself. This technical glitch added an extra layer of unintended awkwardness to a game attempting to boost user engagement through new technology.
