Research Reveals That Humans Are Still Better At Dating Than AI

In today’s tech-obsessed world, even flirting isn’t safe from automation. So, naturally, AXE decided to see if AI could do better at the dating game than a human.

The experiment pitched three contenders against each other: a slick AI chatbot, dating coach extraordinaire Benny Hart and your average Joe Slo.

The goal was to find out who could craft the most irresistible messages across three key stages of flirting in the modern world dating. That is, sliding into DMs, asking for a date and sealing the relationship deal.

Spoiler alert: humans still come out on top (excuse the pun) – for now, at least!

AI Wins at First Impressions

At the very start of the digital dance, AI flexed its virtual charm. Its opening line – “Okay, your vibe check just passed – what’s the secret playlist or coffee order that makes you feel unstoppable?” – won over 25% of respondents, outshining the young guy (14%) and even the dating coach.

Creative, flirty and just the right amount of confidence seemed to be the sweet spot for the ladies, showing that AI is, undoubtedly, pretty good at crafting a perfectly Instagram-ready first impression.

Of course, while the AI impressed in the DMs, humans brought charm and nuance that algorithms still struggle with. So, how do you compare the two?

The takeaway here is that AI is excellent at catching someone’s attention online – it’s smooth and it knows all the right things to say. But perhaps it’s too smooth.

Ultimately, it seems like at this point, the AI may be lacking a bit of warmth.

Confidence Counts When Asking for a Date

Once conversations moved from pixels to real-life plans, human skill took the lead.

Benny Hart’s take-charge approach – “Are you free Friday or Saturday after 7? There’s a new spot that I know you’d like. Let me know and I’ll make it happen.” – won almost half of respondents, showing that decisiveness still trumps algorithmic politeness.

AI came in second with a friendly but less assertive coffee invitation, while the young guy’s dumpling-based proposition barely registered (8%) – ouch.

Lesson learned: in dating, being charming online is great, but showing you can actually make plans in the real world is essential and being forthright and assertive is even more attractive.

Heart Over Hardware? Humans Rule When It’s Official

When it came time to turn flirting into something more serious, emotional honesty reigned supreme.

The young guy’s heartfelt message – “It’s been sweet having you as this girl that’s my friend, and I don’t want anyone else to take your place. Will you be my girlfriend?” – resonated most strongly, with 26% of respondents ranking it highest for sincerity. AI sounded a little too robotic, and even the coach’s polished delivery felt a touch rehearsed.

It turns out that while AI can get you noticed, it can’t replicate the vulnerability, imperfection and warmth that make humans truly connect. Some things, like a genuinely open heart, aren’t in the algorithm’s toolkit.

The Perfect Flirt: Mix AI, Confidence and Heart

The experiment shows that each “flirt persona” brings something unique.

AI nails the DMs with creativity and wit, the dating coach excels at turning chats into offline plans and the young guy reminds us that emotional sincerity still wins when it counts.

As Benny Hart puts it: “AI might help you with a slick one-liner or an online convo, but the guys who win are the ones with the guts to take losses, learn and keep showing up. That’s where confidence and edge are forged.”

He adds a friendly warning to any aspiring digital Casanovas: “AI will out-rizz most guys online. Don’t try to beat it, use it. But remember: AI can’t back it up in real life. Only you can.”

In other words, the bots can flirt, but humans still have heart.

And, at the end of the day, the thing that’ll make you most attractive to the right prospective partner is all the things that make you uniquely who you are.