Hily
Hily is an online dating application that employs machine learning to match prospective partners. Named as an acronym for "Hey, I Like You", the app is designed to recommend potential matches by analyzing users' backgrounds, interests, and app activity.[1] The app's registration options for gender include male, female, and non-binary.[2]
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Initial release | August 14, 2017 |
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Stable release | 4.0
/ August 2, 2019 |
Operating system | iOS, Android |
Website | hily |
Hily was initially released in August 2017.[3] According to TechCrunch, the app had 35,000 users during its closed beta stage in October 2017.[4] Hily later acquired additional users through a partnership with Snapchat.[5] In 2020, the app was reported to have 15 million of users. Currently has over 26 million of users worldwide.[6]
History
Hily was co-founded by Yan Pronin[4] and Alex Pasykov.[7] The concept for the app originated from Pronin's professional background in analytics and statistical modeling.[4] The app was designed to connect prospective partners based on similar interests, instead of geographic location and physical attractiveness.[8][9] On August 14, 2017, the app launched in the United States.[3] In March 2019, it was also released in the UK, Ireland, and France.[7]
In August 2019, the app was reported to have 5 million users and rank among the top three dating apps in U.S. consumer spending for the second quarter of 2019.[1][10]
Operation
Hily employs machine learning and statistical algorithms.[11] It analyzes data such as depth of dialogue, word choice, and mutual likes to identify profiles with a high probability for a match.[8] In August 2018, Aime Williams of FT Magazine commented that Hily's monitoring of users' verbal exchanges "takes things a step further" than competitor geosocial networking apps.[8]
The user platform requires account verification through live photo capture, uploading a photo of an official ID, or social media integration.[4]
Business model
Hily is distributed under a freemium business model.[1] The app is free to download and use, while features that are basic in other dating apps (such as limiting search to within 40km) are accessed via a paid subscription plan.[1]
References
- "Hily Review". Dating Site Reviews. 3 August 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
- Kreig, Hannah (February 19, 2019). "Thirst Trap: Swipe right on online dating". The Daily of the University of Washington. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
- "Hily Profile". SensorTower. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
- Butcher, Mike (October 5, 2017). "Hily dating app uses AI and identification to improve safety and potential matches". Techcrunch. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
- Daniel, Ellen (December 7, 2017). "Could dating apps be key to Snapchat's happy ending?". Verdict. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
- "Hily Official Website". Retrieved 2020-05-13.
- Whitlock, Dominic (11 July 2019). "Hily Begins European Roll Out With French Launch". Global Dating Insights. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
- Williams, Aime (August 14, 2018). "Facebook is turning matchmaker. Is this a good thing?". FT Magazine. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
- Jackson, James (November 6, 2017). "How a Matchmaking AI Conquered (and Was Exiled) from Tinder". Motherboard. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
- Captain, Sean (27 August 2019). "Match.com's dating coaches might help save modern love". Fast Company. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
- "Hily dating app uses AI and identification to improve safety and potential matches". TechCrunch. 5 October 2017. Retrieved 2022-06-08.