The app uses AI to determine two individuals’ compatibility according to age-old Western and Eastern matchmaking practices and personality tests. - YOUAPP
SINGAPORE: Home-grown YouApp has joined the market for dating apps, putting a modern twist on ancient matchmaking.
The app, relaunched on April 8 after a revamp, uses artificial intelligence (AI) to determine two individuals’ compatibility according to age-old Western and Eastern matchmaking practices, as well as personality tests.
Insights are drawn from Western horoscopes, the Chinese astrological practice of bazi that analyses birth dates and times, and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality test, among others.
Like other dating apps, users are shown the usual when swiping on profiles: picture, name and age. But on YouApp, users are also shown an overall compatibility score out of 100 between them and the potential match based on the birthdates they have entered when setting up their account.
The app’s AI uses data from ancient books on astrology, and matches results from over 20,000 existing users in Asia from its earlier version in 2023 to come up with compatibility predictions, said YouApp founder and chief executive Douglas Gan, 41.
He said over 80 masters from different fields were also engaged to fine-tune the AI by correcting any inaccurate predictions found.
First launched in 2023, the app had focused on matching couples who attended the same events such as music festivals or conferences, but it did not gain traction, said Gan.
Based on feedback, the team introduced new features that enable users to learn more about themselves and connect with others who are similar or compatible with them, he said.
The app also aims to widen users’ dating pool and connect users all over Asia, starting in Singapore. The app’s chat function will break down language barriers by offering live translations in English, Chinese, Thai, Korean, Japanese and Bahasa Indonesia.
Another plus: The app will actively block love scammers from creating fake profiles as users will be required to verify their identities through Singpass, Singapore’s digital identity app, when they sign up.
This security feature will be implemented in July, Gan said, making YouApp one of the first dating apps to do so.
Overseas users without Singpass will have to take pictures of proof of identity such as their identity card and upload photos of themselves. The app will also conduct a “liveliness check” through the user’s phone camera to ensure that the user is a real person rather than a static or spoofed image such as a deepfake.
Properly authenticated, individuals can proceed with their quest to find true love.
And even those sceptical about bazi or horoscopes, the features provide an entertaining topic to kick-start conversations, said Gan.
High compatibility scores can still spark curiosity even if the users do not believe in astrology, he added.
“If you really get a 90 per cent match, you will want to look into the details of the person.” - The Straits Times/ANN
