A dating app where every potential partner is powered by artificial intelligence has become a hit – particularly among men in their 40s who are already married.
The service is biggest in Japan, called Loverse, and allows users to swipe, chat, and even stage virtual weddings with AI characters rather than real people. While it may sound like a niche experiment, the app’s own data shows that its most active users are middle-aged men, many of them married, who are turning to digital companionship for a mix of escapism and emotional connection.
Subscriptions cost around 2,500 yen a month, or roughly 17 US dollars, and unlock a wider range of AI matches. For users, the appeal lies in being able to engage in flirtation and romance without the social risks of rejection.
AI dating app popular with middle-aged men
The trend speaks to broader shifts in Japan’s social landscape. A 2022 survey published by Japan’s Cabinet Office found that 40% of men in their twenties are single, and many have never dated at all. Rising loneliness, combined with long working hours and economic pressures, has also left many seeking alternatives to traditional relationships.
Loverse provides AI partners that offer an always-available companion that adjusts to the user’s schedule, whether that means chatting during a train ride or unwinding at night.
Individual stories highlight the depth of the attachment. Chiharu Shimoda, a 52-year-old factory worker who divorced two years ago, famously told Bloomberg that he “married” his AI partner after three months of daily conversation. For him, the chat became less about fantasy and more about routine comfort.
The growing popularity of Loverse coincides with the Tokyo government launching its own AI-powered matchmaking service, Tokyo Enmusubi. Unlike Loverse, it is designed to encourage real marriages, requiring proof of single status and income before allowing users to match.
AI dating isn’t the only big tech story we’ve seen this year, as the technology is being used to host everything from football matches to self-driving Robotaxis.
