Kevin Teman is revolutionizing the dating space. It started when Kevin became frustrated with dating apps and turned to a real human matchmaker. He found the process both exhilarating and rewarding. While he was going through matchmaking, he kept imagining, what would it be like to open up the exclusive world of expensive matchmakers to a wider audience? How could I build an interface that was as in-depth and personalized as a matchmaker? Teman envisioned the possibility of an Artificial Intelligence that was tuned into real emotions, and real reactions. The result was AIMM Matchmaking Service — the world’s first talking AI App on the App Store.
Why AIMM is different
This was completely uncharted territory and there were no roadmaps to follow, so he had to build from the ground up. He was determined to build out natural elements such as speech and emotional recognition — like recognizing a smile.
Teman built the app while he was working full time as an iOS programmer. He would go home at night, clear his head and imagine, how can I create something completely different than all the other dating apps out there? In order to accomplish this, he eliminated any dependencies upon existing technology and instead started a daunting task: emulating a real person through conversation.
Changing the Dating Industry
Over the course of 9 months AIMM was born. Combining clean coding and a creative rethinking of the possibilities of what dating apps could be, Teman drew on the methodologies of a matchmaker throughout- remembering the subtle nuances, humor, and personality of matchmakers.
The entire concept of a modern dating app had a lot to learn from the historical path of the matchmaker.
For instance, instead of posting a short description and hoping for the best like on most other dating apps, the AI asks detailed questions about lifestyle and personality, like what types of home the user would like to have, or what their vision of an ideal vacation would be. Teman calls these picture stories and they can be used to judge compatibility.
Another big part of the equation is the timing of the conversations, or how the app gets to know the user. The sessions with the AI interface vet the user to gauge how serious they are. It interacts with them at different times of the day over several days to get to know them and their preferences.
One of the key factors of a matchmaker is patience. AIMM was designed to not necessarily give immediate gratification but a greater reward over time. Patiently and methodically finding a fit for you, AIMM sets up a phone call between you and your match. Intrigue and anticipation are built up and the timing is intentionally slower than other dating apps. It checks in with you over time as you become accustomed to the app as a matchmaking companion.
Meanwhile, the app is going through a parallel process with other users. All along, Teman built the app to model not just the techniques, but also the mindset of a matchmaker. This blend adds heart to the analytical structure of AI. To Kevin, combining heart and mind means finding a solid ground for finding the love of your life.
“I want to paint a pleasant picture of a technology and our future which entails meeting people through a human-like interface”, said Teman “Technology is not our doomsday, it is a wonderful tool we can use to make our lives more pleasurable. I founded AIMM (The Talking Artificially Intelligent Matchmaker) in 2016 because I wanted to fix the broken dating industry”.
Teman explains, “I wanted to bring effective human matchmaking techniques into automation. I knew from my experience with Siri frameworks team, speech recognition demos I had given through my career in technology, and experience in human matchmaking services, that I could create a more effective facilitator of relationships, and I truly felt that I had to. Today AIMM is featured in Robert Downey Jr’s Age of AI coming 2019, Fox NY, New York Times, Mashable, MIT, CNN (upcoming). Additionally AIMM is partnering with a human matchmaking service to bring human matchmakers into the process. AIMM doesn’t just represent a dating app, it represents a vision for the future that is possible now, and which we intend to take into the future through holograms and other naturally pleasurable interfaces”.
No matter how advanced technology becomes, the drive for love will never go away. AIMM’s goal is to bridge the gap between emerging technology and the proven pathways of matchmaking through AI.
