The UAE Has a Nosy New Matchmaker & It's an AI “Auntee”

Auntee, an AI-powered matchmaking app, has just launched in the UAE, and instead of making you swipe through hundreds of strangers while pretending a prompt about travel says anything meaningful about them, it wants you to talk to an actual AI “Auntee”. Out loud.

Founded by cupid-in-chief Zain Shaikh, the app’s 15-minute voice interview digs into your values, ambitions, lifestyle, communication style and plans for the future, before building your profile and looking for potential matches. During the search for your other half, Auntee uses 14 behavioural dimensions to work out who might make sense for you, then serves up a smaller selection of introductions rather than an endless deck of faces.

Essentially, she’s the technologically upgraded version of the relative who’s been asking why you’re still single since Eid 2014, except this one will actually hear you out before deciding whether she knows someone.

The first chat is on her, too. Your voice interview and profile come at no cost, but if you want her to actually get to work, you can hand over the reins for a 90-day “season” of matchmaking, which usually costs AED 699, although early adopters can currently get in for AED 245.

So far, over 3,000 people have let Auntee meddle in their love lives, with more than 500 introductions already made. At this rate, the family may have to start forwarding their singles to her instead.