Tinder is testing a new feature that scans users’ camera rolls with artificial intelligence to learn more about their interests. The opt-in feature, known as “Chemistry,” is currently being piloted in New Zealand and Australia with plans to expand in 2026.
Tinder’s parent company, Match Group, announced the feature on Tuesday during an earnings call with investors. Chemistry will also feature a question-and-answer feature that will further help the dating app pair compatible users.
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Match Group CEO Spencer Rascoff described the feature as a “major pillar of Tinder’s upcoming 2026 product experience.”
“It gets to know users through interactive questions and, with permission, learns from their camera roll to better understand their interests and personality,” the company explained.
The feature, the company added, uses deep learning to help combat what it calls “swipe fatigue” by showcasing “a few highly relevant profiles each day.” Tinder says the effort aims to drive “more compatible matches and engaging conversations.”
Is this a good idea?
Although the feature is optional, experts have raised concerns over the potential privacy implications.
“Tinder’s AI could analyze everything in your camera roll, from screenshots of conversations to images with sensitive background details,” the website Gadget Review wrote. “Privacy experts warn the benefits don’t justify this level of access to personal data.”
Another site, Gadgets360, says that, based on how the feature is implemented, “users may not be able to protect sensitive and private images from being processed by the company’s AI.”
“If the company’s employees can access these images or if the photos are stored on the servers indefinitely, that also increases the privacy risk,” Gadgets360 added.
Tinder has yet to outline its data retention or privacy policies regarding the new feature.
Other apps want to see photos
Tinder isn’t the only app that’s requesting access to users’ private photos. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, launched a similar feature last month that asks for access to users’ camera rolls in order to suggest AI edits of their photos.
Tinder’s announcement comes as the company faces a drop in revenue. As reported by TechCrunch, the downturn has been attributed to numerous factors, such as shrinking disposable incomes and a desire among some to choose real-world experiences over dating apps.
