Tinder is testing using AI to access personal photos for smarter matches & facial scans

Tinder is experimenting with a new AI feature called Chemistry that can look through users’ camera rolls with their permission to learn about their interests and personality. The dating app says it needs access to personal photos to better understand users, combining that data with conversational prompts to refine matches. The feature is currently being tested in Australia and New Zealand and is expected to expand to more regions soon.

Match Group, Tinder’s parent company, confirmed that Chemistry will play a central role in the app’s 2026 redesign. The company says the tool will use this data to display a smaller selection of relevant profiles each day, while also raising new questions about how much personal information dating apps should be allowed to process.

This isn’t the first time Tinder has turned to AI to access user data, with its 2024 photo selector already using algorithms to pick each user’s best pictures while also helping improve safety through message scanning for harmful content. More recently, the company began requiring facial scans for new users in the United States to verify identities and prevent fake accounts.