Match Group just partnered with OpenAI, and ChatGPT wrote the press release

The world's biggest dating app empire just found a new match: OpenAI.

Match Group, the conglomerate behind Tinder, Hinge, Match, and OkCupid, just signed an enterprise agreement with OpenAI to deploy over 1,000 ChatGPT Enterprise licenses across its workforce. In a meta twist, the company even used ChatGPT to write the official press release.

When ChatGPT writes corporate PR

The AI-penned announcement leaned hard into dating tropes. It proclaimed ChatGPT as the wingman employees didn't know they needed, and called its commitment to AI safety a prenup with technology.

ChatGPT even provided its own quote, claiming it was thrilled to match with Match Group and melt the ice. Cringe jokes aside, the rollout is serious business. Employees will specifically get access to GPT-4 to assist with software engineering, design, data analysis, templates, and communications.

To keep internal data private, access is strictly limited to trained and licensed personnel. Match Group is mandating training on responsible AI usage, capabilities, and system limitations before handing out keys. The company declined to disclose the financial terms of the deal.

An existential $30M bet

Internal productivity tools are just the warmup. Match Group plans to pour between $20 million and $30 million into AI innovations this year alone.

On a recent earnings call, CEO Bernard Kim told investors that AI is existential to the future of the business. The company is actively testing generative AI to help singles pick their best profile photos, draft witty bios, and provide conversation starters and date ideas after a match.

Match also plans to test standalone AI-powered apps later this year. Much of that incubation is falling to Hyperconnect, the Seoul-based video tech company Match bought for $1.73 billion in 2021. However, when asked whether OpenAI's models would directly power these consumer-facing features, Match reps declined to comment.

Why it matters

Swipe fatigue is real, and dating apps are desperate for a second wind. Having AI curate photos and draft bios could lower the barrier for introverted daters, though it brings the obvious risk of turning dating into a bot-to-bot matchmaking simulator.

For the broader tech sector, Match Group is writing the textbook playbook for legacy consumer apps. Rolling out enterprise licenses internally offers quick productivity wins and sends a loud signal to Wall Street that the company isn't falling behind.

We think Match played this smart by keeping internal tooling separate from its core product roadmap. Using ChatGPT for coding and templates is a no-brainer, but dodging questions about powering Tinder with OpenAI shows they don't want to hand their proprietary secret sauce to an external vendor. The real test is whether their internal bets can actually revive user engagement before daters look elsewhere.