Dating app Bumble is cutting nearly a third of its workforce and facing legal trouble in Europe over an AI tool, as it struggles to survive in a faltering online dating market.
On June 25, 2025, Bumble confirmed in a regulatory filing that it will lay off 30 per cent of its staff (around 240 people) in a bid to cut costs by $40 million (鈧37.4 million) a year. The firm said the savings would be reinvested into 鈥渘ew products and tools鈥 to boost growth.
A spokesperson told CNN, 鈥淭hese decisions were not made lightly, and we are deeply grateful for the contributions of every employee impacted.鈥
Bumble founder returns as company collapses
Once hailed as a disruptor for letting women message first, Bumble has lost nearly 90 per cent of its market value since going public in 2021. It launched at over $13 billion (鈧11.1 billion); now, shares trade for under $7 (鈧5.99).
Founder Whitney Wolfe Herd, who stepped down last year, returned in March 2025 to rescue the brand. Speaking to The New York Times, she said, 鈥淲atching it fall from its peak has been very hard鈥 and that Bumble 鈥渘eeds me back.鈥
Despite 4.1 million paying users across its apps, revenue growth is slowing and losses are mounting. According to BBC News, Wolfe Herd told staff the industry is facing an 鈥渋nflection point鈥 and needs 鈥渄ecisive action to restructure to build a company that鈥檚 resilient, intentional, and ready for the next decade.鈥
AI under fire: GDPR complaint filed against Bumble
Bumble鈥檚 troubles deepened this week as advocacy group NOYB (None of Your Business) filed a complaint with Austrian regulators over an AI feature called 鈥業cebreakers,鈥 which was introduced in December 2023.
The tool, powered by OpenAI, scans users鈥 profiles to auto-generate conversation starters. NOYB claims it violates EU GDPR law by collecting and using profile data without user consent.
鈥淏umble forces its AI features on millions of European users without ever asking them for their consent,鈥 said Lisa Steinfeld, a data protection lawyer at NOYB. 鈥淭heir personal data is being sent to OpenAI and fed into the company鈥檚 AI systems.鈥 (Cited by Euronews.)
Austria鈥檚 Data Protection Authority is now investigating. Bumble hasn鈥檛 publicly commented on the complaint.
Are dating apps doomed?
Despite over 50 million global users, including 1.45 million in Germany, investor interest in dating platforms appears to be cooling rapidly. Many apps are under pressure to innovate, while also facing growing scrutiny over privacy, monetisation, and user fatigue.
Shares in Bumble actually rose by 17鈥20 per cent after the layoff announcement, suggesting investors are hopeful.
Is the age of algorithmic romance coming to an end? Or are AI-driven dating tools the only hope for finding true love in today鈥檚 digital world?
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