Vice President JD Vance has issued a stark warning about the impact of dating apps and artificial intelligence on authentic relationships and family connections in America. Vance expressed deep concern about how technology is creating barriers to meaningful human connections. What specific apps does Vance point to as destructive?
The Dating App Dilemma
Vice President JD Vance has taken aim at popular dating apps, calling them “more destructive than we fully appreciate” during his recent diplomatic visit to Rome. In conversations with newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Vance highlighted concerns about how technology is fundamentally altering human connections and relationships.
“If you look at basic dating behavior among young people — and I think a lot of this is that the dating apps are probably more destructive than we fully appreciate,” Vance stated during his visit. The Vice President specifically mentioned Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble as platforms that have transformed how young Americans approach relationships.
JD Vance doesn’t want lovelorn Americans to use ‘destructive’ dating apps https://t.co/91K8cfT0a3 pic.twitter.com/XvjymW5Eff
— New York Post (@nypost) May 21, 2025
Technology’s Impact on Communication
Vance pointed to a concerning trend where technology appears to be hampering communication between young men and women rather than facilitating it. “I think part of it is that technology has just for some reason made it harder for young men and young women to communicate with each other in the same way,” he noted.
The Vice President has consistently advocated for policies that would support family formation and increase birthrates in the United States. His concerns about dating apps align with his broader agenda of promoting traditional family structures and addressing demographic challenges facing America.
This weekend, I led the US Delegation to Rome and met with Pope Leo XIV, as well as many other Church and international leaders.
I’m grateful to Pope Leo for the opportunity to meet with him, and I pray the Holy Spirit guides him with wisdom and fortitude during his papacy. pic.twitter.com/YMJ8P9EEZF
— Vice President JD Vance (@VP) May 20, 2025
The AI Threat to Human Connection
Perhaps most alarming in Vance’s assessment is the potential impact of artificial intelligence on human relationships. “There’s a level of isolation, I think, mediated through technology, that technology can be a bit of a salve. It can be a bit of a Band-Aid. Maybe it makes you feel less lonely, even when you are lonely. But this is where I think AI could be profoundly dark and negative,” Vance warned.
The Vice President expressed particular concern about young people forming emotional bonds with AI chatbots instead of real humans. “What I do really worry about is does it mean that there are millions of American teenagers talking to chatbots who don’t have their best interests at heart?” he questioned.
Vance’s conversation with Pope Leo XIV drew parallels between current technological disruptions and historical periods like the Industrial Revolution. Both leaders acknowledged the need for thoughtful responses to AI’s rapid development.
The discussion also touched on broader AI concerns, including cybersecurity threats and China’s advancement in the technology. Vance emphasized that interactions with AI systems might ultimately make real human relationships seem less satisfying, further exacerbating isolation and declining birth rates.