Axios Finish Line

May 15, 2026
Welcome back! For the fourth installment of our series on AI and love, we're looking at how seniors are using dating apps.
- Past issues: AI companions, rise of IRL dating and AI matchmaking.
Smart Brevityβ’ count: 524 words β¦ 2 mins. Edited by Natalie Daher and copy edited by Amy Stern.
1 big thing: Golden age of swiping
Axios' tech editor Megan Morrone explores dating on apps over 60:
Dating app fatigue is driving younger users away, but one demographic is just discovering the swipe: seniors.
π Why it matters: As more older Americans live longer and increasingly alone, they're looking for love the new-fashioned way.
- "Many older daters are approaching dating with a level of confidence and intentionality that younger users are still developing," Michael Kaye, director of communications at Match.com, tells Axios.
The biggest names in dating β Tinder, Hinge and Bumble β skew younger.
- Other apps, including Match and OurTime, "provide access and opportunity that may not exist organically in everyday life, especially after retirement, relocation, divorce or the loss of a partner," Kaye says.
- AARP calls Match the best site for "serious relationships" for seniors.
The intrigue: Shows like ABC's "The Golden Bachelor" and Netflix's "The Later Daters" have tapped into popular interest in seniors looking for love.
πΉ By the numbers: Most adults 65+ are not longtime dating app users, per a new UserTesting survey of 217 U.S. adults in this age group, provided to Axios.
- 60% started using dating apps within the past three years. 30% started within the past year.
- 72% say one of the hardest parts is figuring out which profiles are real.
Here's how to get started on the apps:
1. β¨ Build an honest profile with recent photos. Write a bio that highlights your interests, lifestyle and whether you're looking for a dinner companion, travel partner, long-term relationship or something else.
- Ask someone you trust to take a look and offer tips. Claude or ChatGPT can also be helpful editing tools.
2. π« Don't send money or share financial details. Use the app's messaging system before moving to personal email or phone calls. Meet in public places for first dates (coffee shops or daytime activities are ideal). Tell a friend or family member about your plans.
3. π© Avoid sharing too much personal information early (address, full name, financial details). Red flags include overly quick professions of love, requests for money or inconsistent stories.
Friction point: AI advancements are making it much easier for scammers to create fake profiles.
- Nearly 1 in 10 adults over 50 say they've had an online romantic connection that turned into a request for money or crypto, according to AARP data released in February.
π² The bottom line: Older daters may be late to the apps, but they're arriving at the exact moment dating platforms are being forced to solve their oldest problem: figuring out who's real.
2. π Parting shot: "Tide Line"

Finish Liner John Mulligan sent us photos from a trip across the pond.
- πͺ¨ This rocky path is an art installation by Julie Brook called "Tide Line" along the Fife Coastal Path in Scotland. You can actually walk it at low tide.
John's official review? "Pretty awesome."
π Please invite your friends to join Finish Line.
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