Digital romance has turn out to be the norm. In line with the Pew Analysis Heart, roughly 23% to 30% of U.S. adults at the moment use or have just lately used courting apps, with utilization peaking amongst youthful demographics. Roughly 37% of People have used a web-based courting website or app in some unspecified time in the future of their lives. Whereas utilization is excessive, particularly amongst these beneath 30 (53% lifetime utilization), satisfaction ranges differ, with many customers reporting frustration.
Whereas company giants like Hinge, Tinder, and Bumble dominate the courting app world, the first problem has lengthy been securing the match. As soon as the notification pops and two profiles align, nonetheless, a brand new, typically extra daunting part begins: the dialog.
It’s exactly this post-match nervousness that Shrikrishna Joisa, a New York Metropolis-based software program engineer and AI specialist, goals to handle along with his newest enterprise, AskCupid.
AskCupid is an AI-powered courting coach that Joisa designed to not automate romance, however to help customers in navigating the nuanced, typically annoying world of text-based communication.
Joisa makes a speciality of AI and machine-learning-driven programs at Tata Consultancy Companies, and right here, AskCupid represents a shift in how know-how is utilized in courting apps. Fairly than specializing in algorithms that decide who you match with, AskCupid focuses on serving to customers perceive what to say subsequent. It truly is a coach, like an angel in your shoulder, that guides you thru the method to see in case your present match is aligned with your personal communication type.
Courting Apps: Figuring out the Friction Level
Whereas the highest courting apps within the US have perfected the artwork of the introduction, Joisa believes they depart a major hole in person help. “I began AskCupid as a result of most courting apps are optimized for matching, not for serving to folks navigate what occurs after the match,” he defined. “Numerous customers—particularly those that are considerate however not naturally assured—get caught overthinking messages, misreading alerts, or not realizing find out how to transfer conversations ahead.”
From his personal expertise and discussions with buddies, Joisa recognized that the most important frustration in on-line courting isn’t a scarcity of choices, however quite a surplus of uncertainty. “Individuals ask questions like ‘What does this reply imply?’ or ‘How do I reply with out sounding awkward?’” Joisa notes. “There’s additionally an actual communication hole for customers who’re courting in a second language or wrestle to precise tone clearly over textual content.” That’s particularly the case for the apps that don’t have a video chat operate or an choice to audio report a voice message, forcing customers to excel within the artwork of the textual content message to safe a date.
Bridging the Communication Hole on Courting Apps
Joisa created AskCupid to handle these particular gaps by providing real-time, context-aware steering. The platform focuses on three core areas: communication, interpretation, and decision-making. The aim is to assist courting app customers perceive messages they obtain, craft responses that really feel pure, and resolve find out how to transfer conversations ahead with out overthinking each step.
A significant focus of the AI is tone and intent, notes Joisa. Textual content-based conversations are notoriously vulnerable to confusion, as a result of absence of physique language and vocal inflection. AskCupid helps customers decode delicate alerts, make clear blended messages, and keep away from coming throughout as both too keen or too distant.
“Textual content-based communication leaves plenty of room for misinterpretation,” Joisa mentioned. “AskCupid helps customers decode delicate alerts and keep away from coming throughout as too keen or too distant. It additionally helps customers who could also be courting in a second language by serving to them categorical their ideas extra clearly whereas preserving their unique intent.”
Decoding the Courting App Hidden Alerts
One of the modern options of AskCupid is a class dedicated to “Decoding hidden alerts.” This function was born from observing person habits in on-line communities, significantly on platforms like Reddit, the place customers incessantly crowdsource recommendation on decoding ambiguous texts. For instance, The On-line Courting group on Reddit at the moment has roughly 300,000 weekly guests, and lots of ask different group members to assist decode a courting app textual content message, whereas the Texting Idea group has roughly 2,000 posts a month, and primarily focuses on “opening traces” on courting apps, particularly Hinge. In different phrases, everybody wants assist with a second opinion with courting apps. Not everybody can determine it out.
“Small issues—like delayed replies, quick messages, emojis, or sudden adjustments in tone—typically lead customers to imagine the worst, even when there could also be a easy clarification,” Joisa notes. “The identical questions got here up repeatedly: ‘What does this imply?’ or ‘Am I studying an excessive amount of into this?’”
The “Decoding hidden alerts” function is designed to decelerate the person’s emotional response and change guesswork with context-based interpretation by the assistance of AI. The aim is to assist customers separate significant alerts from noise, permitting them to reply with readability, quite than nervousness.
Navigating Stumbling Blocks and Ghosting
Ghosting and the uncertainty of non-responses are among the many most typical complaints within the courting world. Joisa notes that whereas ghosting is prevalent, the paradox of a non-reply typically causes customers to disengage prematurely or second-guess their self-worth.
Ghosting is so prevalent in trendy courting, that roughly 60%–75% of customers report having been ghosted, and about 45%–50% admitting to ghosting others. It’s most typical amongst Gen Z and Millennials (84%), and is incessantly cited as a main explanation for courting app burnout, based on a report from Forbes.
“One of many greatest obstacles is uncertainty,” Joisa defined. “Ghosting is frequent, however typically customers don’t know whether or not a scarcity of response means disinterest, timing points, or one thing else completely.”
Past ghosting, customers incessantly wrestle with the momentum of a dialog. The transition from informal texting to asking somebody out is a crucial juncture that always causes hesitation. “Many customers wrestle with questions like ‘What do I say subsequent?’ or ‘When is the precise time to ask somebody out?’” Joisa mentioned. “They don’t wish to come throughout as pushy, however in addition they don’t need the dialog to stall indefinitely.”
Success By means of Readability, Not Cleverness
Regardless of being a comparatively new entrant, AskCupid has already garnered suggestions from customers who’ve discovered success by the platform. Joisa emphasizes that probably the most impactful tales aren’t about dramatic transformations, however quite small moments of confidence.
“Customers typically share that AskCupid helped them ship a message they’d have in any other case overthought or prevented, which led to conversations shifting ahead, as a substitute of stalling,” Joisa mentioned. Timeliness is essential, too. Should you preserve a match ready, it could possibly be seen as disinterest, so AskCupid turns out to be useful for problem-solving on the spot.
Joisa says that success on the platform is outlined by readability, quite than proving one’s personal cleverness. By offering impartial, context-aware suggestions, the AI helps customers ask somebody out sooner and extra naturally, stopping the lack of momentum that always comes with ready too lengthy, for instance. “When customers really feel extra assured in how they’re speaking, interactions are likely to really feel extra relaxed and genuine,” he mentioned.
The Intersection of Engineering and Empathy
The creation of AskCupid is rooted in Joisa’s skilled background. As a software program engineer in New York Metropolis, he makes a speciality of designing and deploying production-ready AI and machine-learning programs. His work focuses on translating superior AI strategies into scalable, dependable programs, a ability set that proved important in constructing a real-time communication assistant.
Joisa’s experience is backed by a robust monitor report of innovation. He has contributed to a number of U.S. patents granted by america Patent and Trademark Workplace (USPTO), with improvements spanning sentiment evaluation, doc summarization, and data extraction from unstructured textual content information. His patented work has been acknowledged by inside awards for technical excellence.
Along with his skilled function, Joisa independently develops publicly accessible AI platforms. Past AskCupid, he created OpenSpeechAI, an AI voice and conversational platform. These tasks replicate his ongoing concentrate on utilized AI, combining backend programs, mannequin integration, and trendy internet interfaces into cohesive, production-ready purposes.
A Totally different Strategy to AI and Courting
The mixing of AI into courting apps is a rising development, however plenty of it’s not genuine. Joisa believes AskCupid occupies a singular area of interest. Whereas many apps are utilizing AI to enhance matching algorithms, profile suggestions, and security options, AskCupid approaches the know-how from an unlikely perspective.
“We’re seeing early experiments with AI-generated prompts, icebreakers, and profile optimization,” Joisa famous. “AskCupid approaches AI from a special angle. As a substitute of specializing in who will get matched with whom, it focuses on what occurs after the match.”
Whereas some platforms use AI to optimize engagement or retention, AskCupid makes use of it as a help layer for customers. The aim isn’t to automate courting, however to cut back uncertainty and assist folks talk extra clearly and confidently in an area the place small misunderstandings can simply derail real connections.
Future Growth: Serving to Matches in Actual-Time
Wanting forward, Joisa plans to broaden AskCupid with a robust concentrate on utility, quite than novelty. One space of development is deeper contextual understanding, permitting steering to turn out to be extra customized over time as conversations evolve, whereas nonetheless preserving person intent and authenticity.
Total, the aim of this potential function wouldn’t be to automate conversations, however to help customers in expressing themselves extra confidently, particularly in conditions involving language or cultural obstacles. Each enlargement will keep aligned with the core concept of AskCupid: lowering uncertainty and nervousness so folks can join extra naturally, with out feeling scripted or synthetic. In a digital world typically criticized for being transactional, Joisa’s AI coach affords a refreshing perspective: know-how that helps us be extra human.
“I’m exploring methods to cut back friction in the intervening time persons are really typing,” Joisa revealed. “One potential course is an assistive keyboard expertise that gives non-compulsory, context-aware recommendations round tone or readability whereas a message is being written.”
Take a look at Ask Cupid AI at askcupidai.com.
