Technical

Srinivasa Reddy Kandi: Dating Startup Known Uses Voice AI to Get People Off Apps and Into Real-Life Dates

December, 29, 2025-03:15

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Dating Startup Known Uses Voice AI to Get People Off Apps and Into Real-Life Dates:

Celeste Amadon and Asher Allen initially set out to build an AI-powered app that could book restaurants for dates. But during development, they uncovered a much bigger insight—one that shifted their focus from logistics to human connection.

Instead of traditional form-based signups, the founders experimented with a voice-driven AI onboarding experience that allowed users to simply talk about themselves. The results were surprising. Users were far more engaged, spending an average of 26 minutes in onboarding, far longer than expected. People, it turned out, enjoyed being heard.

That discovery became the foundation of Known, a San Francisco–based dating startup designed to encourage more meaningful, in-person connections. By gathering richer insights through voice conversations, Known believes it can better match users with dates that actually make sense—faster and with fewer rejections.

“Our view is that, for the first time, we can truly understand someone well enough to suggest a date that feels right,” Amadon explained. “If we can do that quickly and reduce rejection, we can create an experience that gets people out on more real dates.”

The concept has resonated beyond users, too, drawing attention from investors who see voice AI as a promising way to humanize digital dating and move relationships offline.

Author: Kandi Srinivasa Reddy, Srinivasa Reddy Kandi, #KandiSrinivasaReddy, #SrinivasaReddyKandi