Bumble is getting rid of the swipe, CEO says

In a surprising shift from tradition, Bumble is set to eliminate its iconic swiping feature, a hallmark of dating apps since the early 2010s. During an interview with Axios, Bumble's CEO, Whitney Wolfe Herd, revealed this significant change, stating, "We are going to be saying goodbye to the swipe and hello to something that I believe is revolutionary for the category." This overhaul comes after a series of disappointing financial quarters, where Bumble saw a notable decline in its paying user base. In the first quarter of this year, the app's paid users dropped by approximately 21%, falling to 3.2 million from 4 million in the previous year. This drastic measure of redesigning the app indicates a serious response to investor concerns regarding Bumble's performance. Wolfe Herd, however, framed the situation as a transformative period for the company. During the most recent earnings call, she stated, "This is a period of real transformation at Bumble over the past few quarters. We have executed a deliberate reset of our member base, making a clear choice to prioritize quality over quantity. This decision reduced overall scale but meaningfully improved the health of our ecosystem." Looking forward, Bumble is expected to harness artificial intelligence in its new approach. The company is currently developing an AI dating assistant named Bee, and Wolfe Herd has previously discussed how AI could enhance love and relationships. Nevertheless, as Gen Z users express skepticism towards overt AI features, it remains uncertain whether Bumble's futuristic ideas—such as personal AI bots that date other AI bots—will appeal to younger audiences. The much-anticipated restructuring of the app is scheduled for release in the last quarter of this year, meaning that for the time being, users will continue to swipe as they have been.