The future of dating apps in New York won’t just be online.
League – which controls everyone on the app – has launched a series of luxury events in New York, including in the Hamptons and at the US Open, to make in-person events a key part of the service.
“It’s the beginning of a hybrid model in our largest market,” Lisa Kraynak, The League’s Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, told The Post. “The future is a combination of personal, online and artificial intelligence.”
While she acknowledged that many people are “burnt out” on apps, Kraynak noted “it’s still the most efficient way to meet someone… if you can marry that with a personal experience, that’s the ticket.”
League markets itself as an exclusive, highly vetted app for smart, career-oriented people — a last stop before you turn to a matchmaker that can pay more than $50,000.
Users can pay anywhere from $300 a month for curated matches to $25,000 a month for a service that provides a personal concierge that helps create profiles, provides photo reviews and suggests even more matches.
At the inaugural IRL At last month’s event, The League rented out part of Le Bilboquet in the Hamptons, where more than 60 guests, mostly in their 20s and 30s, mingled over cocktails and canapés.
Lindsey Metselaar, a dating expert who runs the We Met At Acme social media accounts and podcast, was also there to make sure people were hooking up, asking icebreakers like, “If you ended up in jail, what would you what did your friends and family think of you?
“Cure is what people are desperate for … the more help you can get with dating, the better,” Metselar told The Post. “Part of the reason people are willing to participate [in IRL events] it’s really that they want more time spent with people.”
This week, The League sent three couples to meet in the Bilboquet event at the US Open.
And Kraynak said they are still finalizing events in the coming months, but will have regular meetings that are free to all members. “People are clamoring for it,” she said.
Clement Heckly, a 25-year-old financial analyst who attended the Hamptons event, told The Post that he hasn’t been on a dating app in nearly three years because he’s been overwhelmed — but he went to the event because he still wants to date. . the people.
“It’s harder to date than any other city…online dating platforms like The League can be useful in NYC because they can break down a barrier,” said Heckly, who is from France. “But you shouldn’t lose the personal experience.”
Madison Cole, a 29-year-old account manager who estimates she’s DMed up to 800 people online, said she’s “over apps.”
“It’s very exhausting,” she told The Post. “I don’t like the small talk or how casual it is — it’s too much work.”
But she went to the League event last month because she believes meeting in person can be more effective. “You’re more likely to make an effort to blend in,” she adds.
League’s efforts come in the form of apps like Bumble, Hinge and Tinder as well explore new ways to combat the fact that nearly half of their users (46%) say they’ve had a negative experience with apps.
Earlier this year, The Post reported on the resurgence of speed dating among New Yorkers fed up with dating apps.
Meanwhile, apps are still focused on leveraging new technology like artificial intelligence to help vet potential partners.
Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd has discussed an AI-powered dating assistant that would chat with other dating assistants to find the best matches.
AI dating tools like YourMove and Volar have unveiled tools that help users craft flirty messages and can analyze texts to infer whether someone just isn’t that into you.
While Kraynak said the League is doing a lot in terms of testing and thinking about how to implement AI, she told The Post that, ultimately, it’s secondary to having a real connection with someone.
“I think artificial intelligence will be part of the puzzle,” Kraynak said. “Artificial intelligence is great for efficiency, but at the end of the day, it’s about chemistry… you don’t know until you [meet] if the spark flies.”
This story is part of NYNext, a new editorial series highlighting New York City’s innovation across industries, as well as the personalities leading the way.
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Image Source : nypost.com