Most adults unable to spot AI dating profiles in study
A recent global study by Pour Moi found that many adults cannot identify dating profiles created by artificial intelligence (AI).
The survey involved 3,000 adults and aimed to assess people's capability in spotting AI-generated profiles amid the digital dating landscape of 2025. Despite 57% of participants expressing confidence in their ability to discern AI profiles, 62% failed to identify them correctly when presented with a series of dating profiles.
The study highlighted that 22% of respondents did not believe any of the images in the study were AI-generated, even though 40% were artificial. The demographic findings pointed out that the 55-and-older age group was the most susceptible to falling for faux profiles, with 32% of them believing all profiles were genuine.
Pour Moi, recognised for its focus on personal confidence in dating, pursued this study to better understand how people engage with the challenges of online dating, including the prevalence of catfishing. According to their findings, 41% of individuals had experience with online dating, while 12% had been victims of catfishing, and 25% suspected they had been subject to it.
The study involved a test in which participants were shown a set of profiles, with 60% real profiles and 40% AI-generated profiles. It was found that 22% of respondents did not deem any profiles fake. Furthermore, although 57% claimed they could spot a fraudulent profile, 62% failed to identify the AI-generated ones when tested.
Younger adults aged between 18 and 24 were identified as more confident in their ability to spot AI-generated profiles, with 72% stating they could do so. However, even in this group, 55% could not distinguish the AI-generated images when presented with them.
The difficulties of identifying AI-generated profiles appear to increase with age, with the over-55 age group notably vulnerable to deception. This group exhibited the highest belief in the authenticity of all presented profiles, thus highlighting their potential vulnerability to digital deception.
Marina Nicoli, Marketing Manager at Pour Moi, emphasised the brand's commitment to supporting confidence in dating environments: "As a brand, we are committed to helping women feel confident and sexy at all times. We conducted this research partly because we know how much confidence and energy dating takes up. With the rise of AI and catfishing, we want to ensure that our customers don't get their confidence knocked down by timewasters."
The study underscores the growing challenge of distinguishing between real and AI-generated profiles in online dating. As artificial intelligence continues to shape digital interactions, the findings highlight the importance of awareness and vigilance among users. With many participants struggling to identify AI-generated profiles, the research suggests that online dating platforms may need more transparency measures or verification tools to maintain trust and authenticity in the evolving digital landscape.
