Living Life in a Future Smart City: Dating

Dr. Jacquelyn Schreck, Human Factors Engineer

Catch up with Part 1: Morning Routine, Part 2: Daytime  and Part 3: Evening Routine first!

​“Meet your perfect match now with SEAA dating, newly improved to match routines with users and make meetings more organic,” the ad says on my smart device. I laugh to myself about how ridiculous online dating is, even though I can acknowledge that most of my friends met their significant other on an app.

As the day goes on, I realize I am thinking about the ad more and more. Apparently, you fill out a profile with likes, dislikes, etc., and SEAA compiles all the information and recommends people who you might like to go on a date with. Sometimes if someone is within proximity to you, SEAA will nudge you in their direction so you can meet the person in a semi-organic setting. It is all very interesting… and equally nerve-wracking. 

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Image created by Craiyon

Unable to help myself, I create a profile and let SEAA do the rest. Again, I find myself laughing at how ridiculous I feel, but there is a part of me that is equally interested in finding out if this could be a good thing for me. I tend to be a homebody and do not get out much, so there is no way for me to meet people. I scroll through a few profiles before putting my phone down and deciding to go out to get some coffee. 

During the car ride, SEAA asks, “Would you like to try a new coffee shop this morning?” I agree to go to the new coffee shop; wondering why SEAA is taking me somewhere I have never been before. When I walk inside the shop, I can smell the scent of freshly brewed coffee, meaning I came at the perfect time to get a cup. Maybe SEAA was right about this place. 

When I get in line, my phone beeps, and I absently realize the person next to me gets a notification at the same time. I check my phone and see the image of this same stranger along with a message from SEAA’s dating app feature. “Congratulations. Your first match is here! Start a conversation.” I am sure I’m blushing, but I look at the stranger anyway. He gives a similar smile, and after ordering coffee and a pastry, we agree to sit down together and talk. I did not expect the app to work this quickly and without any warning, but I go along with it anyway. Although he seems nice, there is really no spark, and we go our separate ways. 

I am unsure at this point if I should be trusting SEAA this much. Letting her guide me to places I have never been before to meet strangers that I feel no connection with. What’s the point? “SEAA, I am a little disappointed in this match. What made you think that would be a good idea?” I ask her. “Your interests and careers are similar, and you have a similar schedule and routine as well. Statistically, your relationship would make sense.” I sigh and consider deleting the app from my phone but realize that it will take multiple tries to meet the right person and decide to continue trying. 

After dating a few different people, I finally settled down in a relationship, but after 6 months of SEAA reassuring me that this was the perfect match, I realized I was not as happy as I could be, and I ended the relationship. Maybe SEAA is not looking for the right things. How much does it matter that a stranger has a similar routine to me? Though, I will continue to use SEAA's features, feeling there is no other option for dating nowadays. Her features remain prevalent in not only this aspect of my life but all aspects. Oddly, before using her dating programming, I never questioned her too much. Work, home, transportation, it didn’t matter. She was a resourceful companion always at my side. But now I am wondering if she is a little too integrated into my life. 

Food for thought: 
Would it be weird or cool to have an AI push you out of your comfort zone to meet people? 
Does the randomness of meetings make it easier or harder to go on dates? Should AI be allowed to make these decisions for you?