Tinder is not the sole prominent dating application shifting away from swiping in favor of real-life gatherings to engage Gen Z users who are weary of conventional online dating. On Wednesday, Bumble highlighted the initial success of its latest application, Plans, aimed at connecting individuals “IRL” in relaxed group environments, and discussed future developments for Bumble’s primary app following the decline of the “swipe.”

During its second-quarter earnings discussion with stakeholders, Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd remarked that Plans has exhibited “encouraging results” in preliminary trials over recent months, and the company intends to “emphasize real-life experiences” moving ahead.

Coupled with Tinder’s announcement this week that it too is recommitting to face-to-face events, it’s evident that a significant transformation is occurring in online dating. In simple terms, the era of swiping is nearing its conclusion.

“I truly believe that the future of meeting people in groups will gain more significance. People enjoy gathering in groups and discovering who they naturally connect with after meeting,” Wolfe Herd shared with analysts during the call. “Group social interaction is a genuine aspect of how Gen Z prefers to meet, and we think Bumble serves as a natural bridge from meeting to socialization to eventually dating.”

The company initially tried out real-world, platonic bonding with Bumble BFF, an application geared towards making friends, which has gained some traction among Gen Z women.

With Plans, however, the aim is to provide young individuals a platform to meet others in their locality to forge friendships over casual drinks and dinners at nearby venues, according to the company when unveiling the app last month. These interactions could eventually evolve into stronger friendships or romantic relationships, Bumble believes. By not being exclusively focused on dating, it alleviates the pressure of initial encounters.

Moreover, users on Plans can continue their conversations on Bumble’s app without needing to swipe or share their phone number. In essence, Bumble is marketing “no swiping” as a benefit here, implying that this method of finding matches is no longer sought after by younger users.

Wolfe Herd also suggested that Bumble is developing a new interaction model that will entirely replace the swipe.

“The fundamental concept is a transition away from optimizing for swipe speed and velocity towards something more deliberate, fewer, better, more thoughtfully considered signals,” she explained, indicating that the transition to the “swipe-free” model would occur progressively to avoid disrupting the ecosystem.

“What will take the place of the swipe? I will keep that under wraps a bit longer for competitive reasons, but it aims to foster more immediate interactions and, crucially, better outcomes, resembling real life and removing the friction and delays present in [the] existing dating app model,” she added.

The company also intends to utilize more AI tools behind the scenes to enhance results, but cautioned that this does not mean Bumble is becoming an “AI-driven experience.”

Although Bumble exceeded earnings expectations in Q2, it remains in a phase of recovery. The company’s revenue plummeted 15.2% to $210.5 million year-over-year, and its stock suffered due to its Q3 forecast, indicating a decrease in paying customers.