Can Smarter Computer Matchmaking Algorithms Help With Finding True Love?
Can Smarter Computer Matchmaking Algorithms Help With Finding True Love?
As more of the world is choosing to find love online, rather than in in person, I have a curiosity about what will happen to the next few decades of dating culture. Trying to meet women or men out In the world can often be a daunting task that can lead both parties settling for a less than perfect relationship. With dating programs and matchmaking services potentially being a trillion dollar industry worldwide if everyone used them, more companies are focusing on creating smarter algorithms that will better match people together for healthier and longer lasting relationships. The hope is that if we can perfect matchmaking to put the people who are best together in our society, we can create a healthier and happier society as well.
For many years we fought traditional matchmaking by a third party, but with today’s hectic lifestyles and inefficiency of bars and other meeting places, we are quickly opting for other solutions. Even traditional matchmaking by parents is making a comeback in some parts of the developed world as the age of people desiring to get married and having children is getting higher, meaning less time to find a partner. If an algorithm could find you a partner easily, more efficiently and successfully, wouldn’t you choose that option? What is most lacking with current algorithms is usually physical attractiveness which is often a building block for a relationship, but currently this is getting better and in the future will most likely be fixed entirely. Also if you have a bunch of different matches you can siphon out the ones you don’t find attractive, there just needs to be a push in the right general direction.
All of us just want to be happy in live and computer can act as a tool to achieve this. After all this is their main purpose, to make our lives more efficient and easier. In a perfect world with near perfect algorithms, true love would only be a click away. A large majority of happy relationships would benefit society as a whole just by making people happier and in return more productive in their day to day lives. Not to mention children raised by a happily married couple who have a strong relationship are also most likely to be positive contributing members of society as well. The cycle would just continue over and over. Efficiency can improve almost any situation in life so dating shouldn’t be any different. I honestly believe that when smart algorithms are perfected or matchmaking AI systems come into existence, meeting people in the real world and dating them will become a relic practice of the past.
Many governments in the world are actually trying to incentivize marriage and children because of shrinking populations, and are paying for and setting up local matchmaking programs. Japan for example has been slowly facing population shrinkage for years now and in the last couple has had its population decline. Out of fear of a long term continued trend they are willing to take extreme actions to make sure this doesn’t happen. Perhaps rather than supporting local matchmaking gatherings, their time would be best spent researching and developing matchmaking algorithms. It isn’t like people don’t want to be in a relationship, it is just many are too afraid to approach the opposite sex or too tired after a long work day to go out. We might end up seeing one of the many countries that are facing population decline end up being the ones who pioneer computer matchmaking the most.
Times is our most precious commodity in life, so why would we waste multiple years of it on a relationship that is destined to fail or lead to nowhere? People want partners but most of all they want a best friend they can share a more intimate life with. Of course there will never be a completely perfect matchmaking system, but even a 75% chance of a successful marriage would greatly benefit ourselves and our society. Think about how much worry we put towards finding the right person to spend the rest of our lives with and if we could take that out of the equation, how much else we could get done or pursue. As someone who comes from a divorced family and has trouble meeting women today, I am happily looking forward to the potential growth in this future. I am curious to hear what people feel about this topic so feel free to comment and give your own opinion.
-Calaber24p
I recently signed up for "Match.com" and was shocked to find out how many of my supposed "matches" were nothing more than scam artists. I would estimate that at least half of the supposed "matches" generated by that site fell into that category. And the thing was that of all of the matches generated for my profile 90% of the good looking ones were the scammers. The remaining matches were of people I would never consider asking out due to their appearance (I'm not totally hung up on looks but the fact of the matter it is a primary factor in picking a potential date with someone you've never met before). Based on my experience on Match.com I would caution anyone that is thinking about using an on-line dating service to be very careful and do your homework. There are at least a couple of web pages out there that publish dossiers on both male and female dating scammers so it's pretty easy to take your "matches" and cross reference them to see if your lining yourself up to be a potential victim (their goal is ALWAYS to get money from you).
Yeah unfortunately matchmaking is a place where you can be vulnerable and taken advantage of pretty easily if youre not careful. There are ways to avoid it though, and with most things if it is too good to be true it might be.
I think it starts with yourself. What do you want in life. It is more important to have a clear idea what you are able to give and what you need before expecting something to come from the other person. In a successful marriage both parties need to get what they truly want and believe in long term. You can somehow compromise but only up to a certain level. If one party is truly unhappy at some point in the partnership because vision and wishes have changed or expectation were not met this will have a huge impact. Not sure if a computer can solve this for you.
I agree, there are variable that a computer will never solve, but even if it just helps put together two people who have a good chance at a long term relationship, then it is a success in my book. Marriage is undoubtedly hard work and no computer will ever complete be able to predict the emotions of a human being, but having two people who are on the same page from the beginning definitely helps.
A best friend is what we always want. But sometimes best friends change! Can the computer fix that?
Probably not, we as human beings grow and our desires and lives change, but like i posted above in another comment, even just putting people on the same page from the beginning creates a concrete surface to build the marriage upon.
People are always changing. Especially early in life. If an algorithm can predict what you will be like in the future, now there would be all kinds of applications for that.
It would be something like, "You may not like this person today, but marry them anyway. In 10-20 years they will be your perfect soulmate." Now, how scary is that!
Agreed people are always changing and an algorithm wont predict the future, most likely ever, or not perfectly anyway. All we can do is enjoy and go after what we want in the short- medium term and if the happiness stays great, if not then you can always start over.
"Can Smarter Computer Matchmaking Algorithms Help With Finding True Love?" Ok I'm making a coffee!
That's what I did. Btw, I don't usually take time to comment a lot, I like your posts man.
And you're right, time is our most valuable asset. About the matchmaking algorithm, I don't have a clue, but I'm interested in seeing how they progress, maybe some match-making beyond hobbies and tastes. Maybe if they include some personality traits too.
That being said, I'm a 100% clueless about internet dating, all the girls I've ever dated I've met in person, either approached or introduced by someone. So my opinions in the matchmaking apps don't mean much I'm afraid. :(
Thanks the-alien I appreciate it ! I just think that we do have a huge demand for something close to good matchmaking, which is obviously why there are 1000 sites out there trying to capture the market. I figure its only a matter of time before we get a better understanding of what makes a healthy happy relationship , how to form one and how to capitalize on matchmaking people together. This wont happen overnight and sadly probably wont happen before many of us are older, but I think if companies can produce something that is beneficial to society and makes them money, then Ill be happy :)
Resteemed and tweeted! :)
wow..
Personally, I think that computer algorithm can't define love. hahahah
Love and matchmaking are not always that easy. Sometimes one person just fascinates another, and it cannot be captured by formula. I have just done an ARTICLE about Calamity Jane who was obsessed with Wild Bill Hickok, but he did not return the fascination.