Bumble is preparing a major overhaul of how people date on its app, starting with the removal of the iconic left-right swipe. The company says swiping will disappear in select markets by Q4 as part of “the next Bumble,” aimed at authenticity, AI-assisted matchmaking, and reducing dating fatigue. Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd links the change to growing exhaustion and reports of low-quality matches, spam, and fake profiles, while insisting AI won’t be used to falsify who users are.
Bumble is moving away from its swipe-first experience, according to CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd. The shift appears to point toward an AI-led dating model, building on Bumble’s work such as an AI dating assistant called Bee. Wolfe Herd has long argued that AI can be a “supercharger” for relationships, and this change suggests it’s becoming central to Bumble’s strategy.
Your news, in seconds
Get the Beige app — every story in 60 words, updated hourly. Free on iOS & Android.
Bumble says its paid user base fell 21% year over year, a sign that subscriptions are weakening even as the company prepares a planned overhaul later this year. CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd framed the shift as “deliberate,” suggesting Bumble is changing how it attracts or retains paying members before the next product phase rolls out.
Swipe through stories, personalise your feed, and save articles for later — all on the app.
