Our 5 predictions for dating in 2026

New year, new love? Maybe not, according to Mashable's dating predictions for 2026. 

With 2026 within kissing distance, many of us will be mulling over our resolutions for the year ahead. Will I fall in love this year? Will dating continue to be a dumpster fire? Will we enter a post-dating era? Will we all be dating chatbots by Christmas 2026?

Mashable's resident dating experts, journalists Rachel Thompson and Anna Iovine, have made five predictions for what lies ahead in the dating realm. 

You can't spell dating without 'AI'

2025 was a seminal year when it came to AI implementations in different industries, and dating is no exception. Dating apps like Hinge and Tinder have begun to bake AI into new features, like Hinge's Convo Starters, which uses AI to nudge users to send better first messages. Tinder is also testing an AI matchmaker called Chemistry.

Then there are the people actually dating chatbots. We saw AI used in dating and as "daters" themselves last year, and we can only guess it'll continue this year. There may be an AI bubble, but it's doubtful detractors can put the genie back into the bottle — especially when it comes to AI companions. Some adults have grown so attached to their ChatGPT-4 companions, for instance, that when OpenAI upgraded to GPT-5 they freaked out and sought to revert it back to the previous generation, which was more glazing and less analytical. 

People will turn away from dating entirely

Dating? Tired. Daters? Exhausted. No, seriously: nearly 80 percent of all dating app users are feeling burnt out by the apps. 

People — women who date men, in particular — are decentering dating from their lives, choosing instead to prioritize self-fulfilment, friendships, hobbies, and personal growth. Could this be the beginning of a post-dating era?

So, if you're single and loving it, you're officially an icon. As a lifelong single gal, this is not new information to me. But if you've ever felt pressured by your friends to "fix" your singleness and find yourself a partner, well, tell them that dating is terribly passé these days, donchaknow. Then there's the fact that posting your boyfriend on social media is basically loser behaviour now, according to a viral British Vogue article. Then there's the burgeoning single positivity movement, which Mashable has been reporting on for many years. If dating isn't sparking joy, then why bother? 

Offline will be cooler than ever

While a faction of the population will be using AI in their everyday lives, including as one's partner, we predict that another faction will be so turned off by technology that they want to quit. Young adults have already started "luddite clubs," attended offline dating events, and weaned themselves off smartphones, and this trend may continue as life becomes more like science fiction daily.

Because being online is so normal and frictionless that being offline might actually be cool and attractive. Not having an Instagram? So hot. Not being on any dating apps? Even hotter.

Dates on the cheap

With food and drink costs on the rise in the U.S., singles will be getting creative with their love lives to keep romance alive but costs to a minimum. We think that house parties and one-on-one setups will boom in 2026. Instead of expensive speed dating events or comedy shows with a two-drink minimum, you might try hosting your own flirting party. Tell your friends to bring a single pal. Perhaps you'll opt for a walk in the park as a cute first date (you might need your scarf and gloves in winter).

Looking for cheaper alternatives to pricey dating app subscriptions? Be sure to check out Mashable's guide to the best free dating apps.

Looks will matter even more

Let's face it: Perceived attractiveness has always been important in dating and our society as a whole. "Pretty privilege" is real! But in 2026, we think it'll, unfortunately, matter even more to daters. We're at a time when GLP-1 medications are all the rage, and there are also new innovations in hair loss treatments that may make men stop flying to Turkey to fix their hairlines. Combine that with social media shallowness as a whole as well as trends like "looksmaxxing" and women measuring their face lengths, and daters may be scrutinizing their matches' photos more than ever.