Australian financial services provider ASX-listed QVC, which is offering a $3.99-a-month dating service with an artificial intelligence assistant, has attracted attention for its use of a human partner.
QVC’s app, which has been around for a year, allows users to select between a “human” and an “AI”, both of whom are given a set of profiles and tasks, and to see what their dating profile would look like if they were human.
QVAC says its AI will be “uniquely capable” in handling “human-like” dates and, based on the feedback it’s received, it says it plans to “roll out more human-like dates soon”.
Dating apps are increasingly common in Australia.
However, many are criticised for making it difficult for people to find the right match, and also for not allowing people to opt out of the service.
The AI, which it’s not naming, is being developed by Cambridge-based firm, Nucleus.
QVA, the Australian division of QVC Group, is also running a $1-a of AI dating service, which features profiles that match “people who like people”.
However, a QVA spokesperson told the ABC the AI would not be able to match with any existing or new users.
“It’s an AI that can’t match with you.
It’s not like a computer that can match you,” he said.
QVB, the Queensland division of the QVC group, is running a “dating service” that matches with “human”, but does not provide the AI.
The spokesperson said the AI “will not be compatible with human users”.
QVC has said its AI dating app is aimed at people who want a dating service but have not yet chosen a partner.
“If you’re looking for a dating partner, we recommend you check out our AI dating platform, which provides you with the best of both worlds, with the flexibility to tailor the AI to your individual needs,” the QVA spokeswoman said.
But Ms Vig says the service does not address the issue of matchmaking or the issues people are having with finding the right partner.
Ms Vigs said it was disappointing to see the QVAs dating service not include a profile picture for a human user.
“We know the AI has been very successful, but what’s missing is a human profile picture,” she said.
“There are no images of our faces, no selfies, and the only profile picture we see is that of the human user.”
Ms VIG said it had been one of the hardest parts of finding a partner for the first time in her life.
“I had to put everything on hold because I wanted to wait for my partner to get home, I didn’t want to see her alone, I wanted her to see me,” she added.
“At the end of the day, I want my partner.
That’s why I have this app.”
“It just doesn’t work for me” QVC said it has a list of about 100,000 users, including women, who have been using its AI service.
“With our AI service, there are about 100 million users.
QVC also said it would “re-evaluate our AI and artificial intelligence services in the future”. “
This has enabled us to expand the service to meet the needs of the larger market of people aged over 50.”
QVC also said it would “re-evaluate our AI and artificial intelligence services in the future”.
“We have a strong record of delivering exceptional service, and this new technology will be one of our strengths going forward,” the spokesperson said.
However Ms Vigg said the dating app was not the only AI dating services being offered in Australia, and she was worried that some people may not realise the difference between AI dating and dating on the web.
“You have to have a good idea about what you’re dealing with before you even start to ask a question,” she explained.
“That’s why it’s important to have an AI and AI dating to start with, and then, once you’ve been in a relationship, to ask what kind of AI it is.”
She said she was concerned that people were not aware of the differences between AI and dating.
“The real question is, how does a human-looking AI like that actually match with a person?,” she asked.
“Because of all the technology in the world, the question is whether or not it’s going to match up.”
In a way, I’m not worried that AI is going to be a replacement for a real human.
It will just be another tool that humans use to solve problems, and in this case, that’s a dating tool.
“ABC/Reuters
