From serendipidating to zombieing, here’s ChatGPT’s advice on how to date in 2023

Dating in 2023 is a sparse landscape full of micro-trends, and it’s rather depressing. We are bombarded with the buzzwords of manifestation, ghosting, gaslighting, soft launching, hard launching, beige flags, red flags… the list goes on. It feels like TikTok and other social media platforms are just confusing us more than they are helping us, and the concept of real love is feeling lost. 

ChatGPT, of course, has no real emotional connection and has told us “I don’t have the capacity to feel love or any other emotions” (which makes us feel slightly bad for it in some warped way). But one thing it does have is an entirely objective insight into the 2023 dating scene, removed from the influence of TikTok ‘experts’ and sad girl summer storytimes. So why not turn to a robot for a bit of advice? Maybe stripping it all back, surrendering our numerous coloured flags, and just taking it step by step is the way to go. 

We asked ChatGPT on OpenAI how it would suggest we find love in 2023, to which it prefaced a reminder that “there is no guaranteed formula for finding love”, of course. The most interesting thing, though, is that it gave us quite an extensive and rather helpful list of what we can do to work on ourselves. Its suggestions included reflecting on your desires (consider your values, interests, and the qualities you value most in a potential partner); expanding your social circle (you increase the chances of meeting new people who share similar interests and values); prioritising self-care and personal growth (being happy and content with yourself can make you more attractive to potential partner); and finally patience and perseverance (it’s important to be patient and not get discouraged if you don’t find the right person right away).

However, ChatGPT is no fool when it comes to warning us what we need to look out for in 2023. Upon asking what dating trends we will begin to see soon, the list was extensive, detailed, and alarmingly accurate. Here, ChatGPT gives us a rundown of the dating trends heading our way in the near future: 

• Micro cheating: Micro cheating refers to engaging in small, seemingly harmless actions that may breach the boundaries of a committed relationship. Examples include flirting with others on social media, exchanging intimate messages, or maintaining secret online profiles.
• Flexting: Flexting is the act of boasting or exaggerating one’s accomplishments, lifestyle, or possessions through text messages or online conversations in order to impress a potential partner. It involves showing off to create a more desirable image of oneself.
• Slow fading: Slow fading occurs when one person gradually reduces their communication or engagement with a romantic interest without explicitly ending the relationship. It’s a slower and less direct form of ghosting where the fading-out process takes place over an extended period.
• Serendipidating: Serendipidating refers to intentionally putting off a date or potential relationship in the hopes of finding someone better or a more ideal match. It involves constantly holding out for something or someone better, which can hinder the development of meaningful connections.
• Ghosting by orbiting: This occurs when someone who previously ghosted you continues to engage with your online presence by liking or commenting on your social media posts, watching your stories, or otherwise keeping tabs on your life without actively communicating with you.
• Relationship anarchy: Relationship anarchy challenges traditional relationship norms and hierarchies. It promotes the idea of individual autonomy and freedom in forming relationships, allowing for more fluid and non-traditional relationship structures.
• Glamboozled: Glamboozling refers to when someone cancels a date at the last minute, leaving the other person feeling disappointed and “glamboozled” by the sudden change of plans. It can be frustrating and leave the person wondering about the true intentions of the canceler.
• Breadcrumbing: Breadcrumbing involves sending intermittent and flirtatious messages or “breadcrumbs” to keep someone interested without any intention of pursuing a genuine relationship. It can be a manipulative tactic to string someone along without real commitment.
• Dial-toning: Dial-toning refers to preemptively cutting off contact with someone after a first date or initial interaction. It involves ignoring any further communication attempts and moving on without explanation or closure.
• Cushioning: Cushioning involves keeping backup romantic options or maintaining connections with other potential partners while in a committed relationship. It’s a way to have emotional “cushions” in case the current relationship doesn’t work out or to seek validation from multiple sources.
• Hiberdating: Hiberdating refers to the tendency to date or enter into relationships during the winter months or colder seasons, often due to a desire for companionship or a desire to have someone to share cozy and intimate experiences with during that time.
• Roaching: Roaching refers to the discovery of a hidden or previously undisclosed romantic partner when in the early stages of a relationship. It often involves the realization that the person has been seeing multiple people simultaneously and not being transparent about it.
• Open relationships and ethical non-monogamy: Open relationships and ethical non-monogamy involve consensual agreements where partners are allowed to have multiple romantic or sexual relationships. This trend reflects a growing acceptance and exploration of alternative relationship styles.
• Zombieing: Zombieing refers to a dating trend where a person who previously ghosted suddenly reappears in someone’s life, often months later, without any explanation or acknowledgment of their previous disappearance.