Technology and Dating
Technology is constantly evolving, us along with it. Over the next 25 years I am sure we will have drastic changes in all kinds of aspects of technology, but one question we can focus on is how will technology affect the way we date within those 25 years? Researchers have explored all kinds of possibilities from virtual reality to DNA matching … how will dating evolve?
The dating world has already transformed thanks to technology. Matchmaking websites are becoming more and more popular for those ‘scoping’ out potential partners before they meet face to face. Such websites include Tinder and Happn that base people on their locations. But how will technology continue to intervene in our love affairs in the future?
A report made by a relationship site, eHarmony found that people will continue to want to find a partner that are like-minded in the most efficient way possible. Virtual reality and behaviour-based matching could possibly be a key feature in this by the year 2040. This will save singles time and energy and will ensure a more accurate match which is of course, the ultimate goal. EHarmony UK country manager Romain Bertrand believes that by 2040, an estimate of 70% of couples will meet and get together online while technology continues to revolutionise the way we find love and build relationships.
Below are some of the ways technology will define he dating world over the next 25 years:
Full Sensory Virtual Dating
The report mentioned above predicts that the rate at which data can be shared could be become so fast that all five of the human senses could be simulated digitally. This can create a full-sensory digital reality. This could make dating so much more efficient and less time consuming. A virtual date could be just like a real one. You could hold your dates hand, even smell their fragrance! All from the comfort of your own home. This will most definitely help those in long distance relationships and open up the possibility to date someone across the world by just tapping into the virtual reality experience wherever you are!
Biotechnology
Biologically, humans are naturally programmed to find and be attracted to a partner that will be a good genetic match to produce the strongest offspring, just as nature intended. So this means, that by studying human DNA, technology can unlock the rules of this ‘attraction.’ Over the next 25 years, DNA research will become a lot more cost effective resulting in a greater affordability to enable more research and scientists could have a clear understanding of the role DNA has on our attraction of others. This could allow a DNA ‘matching’ process. You could literally say to your partner “we were made for each other!”
Behaviour Based Matching
Rather than having to articulate what you are looking for in a partner (because that takes way too much effort these days!) matching could become a lot simpler and accurate through tracking people’s behaviour. For example, how they react to different situations. To break it down, physically, devices could track your everyday lifestyle and find other singles with a similar lifestyle to your own. It will keep data of the places you go, things and activities you do. An example of such device is a ‘smart contact lens.’ This could track the type of people you look at more frequently. It will detect the signs of attraction you have to that person by monitoring your hormone levels and pheromone production.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence could potentially help enhance the whole dating experience by allowing real time feedback on how the date is going. This could dramatically help the decision processes you make while on a date and whether this person is right for you. While on a date, the couple will be able to receive information on both their and their partner’s activities. Such as, how well the topic of conversation is going between them, whether it’s being received and if not, a course of action! For couples already in a relationship, this could benefit their relationship by identifying issues and finding resolutions and could even calculate the best time for life milestones like whether or not they should get married or have children.
Overall if such technologies become available in the future, the way we date will never be the same. With the help of technology, we may find our potential partners much quicker and technology may enhance the relationship in the long run. But, my question is, doesn’t this take away the mystery? Do you really want to know every single thing about a person as soon as you meet them? How could you really know what you want in a partner since you constantly evolve as a person through life’s experiences? Suppose we will find out…
