Justin McLeod, the founder and longtime chief executive officer of Hinge, has announced his decision to step away from his leadership role to embark on a new entrepreneurial endeavor: the creation of an artificial intelligence–driven dating platform known as Overtone. This new venture aims to reimagine how digital connections form by emphasizing voice interactions and deeply personalized communication tools. According to a recent press release, Overtone has already secured early financial backing from Match Group—the global dating conglomerate that owns popular apps including Hinge, Tinder, and OkCupid. Match is not only providing pre-seed investment but also intends to acquire a significant equity stake in the fledgling startup, signaling a strong vote of confidence in its potential.
Overtone began as an internal initiative within Hinge, nurtured with Match Group’s strategic support. McLeod, together with a carefully selected team of collaborators, dedicated the past year to conceptualizing and refining this ambitious project. The result is an early-stage dating service centered on artificial intelligence and voice-based technology, designed to facilitate more intentional, emotionally aware, and humanized connections between users. In essence, the platform strives to make online dating feel less mechanical and more like genuine interpersonal communication.
McLeod’s pivot toward creating a standalone AI-driven product reflects a broader trend in the dating industry, where prominent founders are seeking to develop richer, more intelligent digital matchmaking experiences. Whitney Wolfe Herd, the founder of Bumble, has similarly articulated her desire to harness AI to build what she described as “the world’s smartest and most emotionally intelligent matchmaker.” She made waves last year by suggesting a provocative idea—one in which users might allow their AI counterparts to interact romantically on their behalf, letting artificially intelligent personas explore compatibility before human contact even begins.
Despite this growing enthusiasm, the question of how Overtone will distinguish itself from the increasingly crowded field of AI-enhanced dating tools remains open. Many existing platforms have already implemented machine learning features to counteract a widespread sense of fatigue among users, particularly within Generation Z—a demographic that has grown skeptical of traditional online dating’s superficiality. Tinder, for instance, has reported nine consecutive quarters of declining paid memberships and has turned to artificial intelligence to refine user matching in hopes of reversing this downward trend. Hinge, meanwhile, recently unveiled a feature called “Convo Starters,” which employs AI to help users engage in more intriguing conversations rather than resorting to predictable small talk. Similarly, both Tinder and Facebook Dating have experimented with algorithmic matchmaking intended to mitigate the repetitive “swipe fatigue” many users experience.
However, as technology becomes more intertwined with intimacy, ethical and privacy questions inevitably emerge. Some AI features push the boundaries of acceptable data collection, leading to discomfort among users. Just last month, Match Group CEO Spencer Rascoff previewed a forthcoming Tinder feature called Chemistry—an integral component of the company’s 2026 product lineup—that would, with user consent, access photos from individuals’ camera rolls in order to better understand their personalities and preferences. While such innovations may promise more precise matching, privacy advocates remain wary; indeed, it is generally advisable to think carefully before granting technology firms deeper access to personal data stores.
McLeod’s legacy with Hinge traces back to 2011, when he founded the app as a deliberate departure from hookup-oriented platforms. His vision was to prioritize authentic relationship-building over casual encounters, a mission that helped Hinge position itself as a more serious, emotionally nuanced alternative in the digital dating landscape. Under Match Group’s ownership—following its acquisition in 2019—Hinge has grown into one of the company’s most promising assets, with forecasts suggesting it could surpass $1 billion in annual revenue by 2027. In light of McLeod’s departure, Hinge’s president and chief marketing officer, Jackie Jantos, has been elevated to the role of CEO. McLeod will remain involved in the company in an advisory capacity through March, ensuring a smooth leadership transition.
Earlier this year, during the SXSW London conference, TechCrunch spoke with Jantos about her approach to engaging Generation Z, a cohort increasingly disenchanted with conventional online dating dynamics. Jantos observed that younger users possess an acute awareness of how digital experiences are constructed and are typically quick to discern whether a platform’s intentions align with their own expectations for authenticity and transparency. For Gen Z, sincerity and accountability from digital brands are not optional—they are prerequisites for engagement. Interestingly, Hinge’s own adoption of AI has not alienated this group; rather, when the company rolled out an AI-driven recommendation feature in March, it led to a measurable 15 percent rise in matches and successful exchanges during the first quarter of the year.
Based on Jantos’s public statements following her promotion, Hinge appears poised to continue integrating advanced technological tools into its platform while maintaining a strong emphasis on meaningful connection. She articulated a vision of “intentional innovation,” grounded in cultural understanding, creativity, and a keen appreciation for how people bond in the modern era. Under her guidance, Hinge seems committed to leveraging technology not as a substitute for human connection, but as a carefully designed instrument for deepening it—an ethos that echoes the principles underpinning McLeod’s newest undertaking, Overtone.
Sourse: https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/09/hinge-ceo-steps-down-to-launch-overtone-an-ai-dating-app/
