In "Hang the DJ," from season four of the award-winning British anthology series "Black Mirror," the... [+]
If you take the plot of a popular Black Mirror episode and combine it with the fast-paced world of online matchmaking what you get is Juliet, a dating app that just spiked in popularity thanks to a well-timed Reddit post. Juliet became an overnight sensation after 24-year-old developer and entrepreneur Julian Alexander answered questions about his AI-powered software.
At the crux of the app is the following gimmick: Ju
Julie creator Julian Alexander with his "proof of idenity" photo used for his Reddit AMA
Julian Alexanderliet matches you with only one person at a time based on compatibility. Each match has an expiration date. After each match is made, the app learns from the interactions and finds you someone you’re even more compatible with, if necessary.
Alexander believes the time element creates a sense of urgency and excitement that helps the user focus on making a connection, he told Forbes over email.
"Like when you see someone you're interested in, you have to make a move or you'll lose your chance," Alexander said. "Other apps on the market focus on a quantity approach, by matching the user with as many people possible with little to no compatibility. I wanted to focus on a quality approach, by matching users with one person at a time. With this method, people really get a chance to make a real connection."
If you're reading this and wondering where you've heard of this dating app before, look no further than Hang the DJ, from season four of the award-winning British anthology series Black Mirror. In the episode, which first aired in Dec. 2017, the characters live in a society where everyone is matched into romantic relationships by "Coach," an AI system. The episode would end up earning a Best Single Drama nomination at the 2018 British Academy Television Awards.
Reddit users were quick to point out the similarities between "Hang the DJ" and Juliet.
"I'm a big fan of Black Mirror and the creator, Charlie Brooker," Alexander said. Black Mirror explores the world of technology and I find the role of technology in modern day life extremely important. That's why I wanted Juliet to merge technology and humanity."
Alexander's app couldn't have been released at a better time. Tinder continues to dominate the world of mobile online dating while Black Mirror ended 2018 with a technological hit called Bandersnatch, an interactive choose-your-own-adventure film released on Netflix. This combination helped Juliet sign up thousands of new users in just a few hours, Alexander said.
"Reddit was my first choice in sharing the launch of Juliet," Alexander said. "The reactions to Juliet from Reddit were very positive. They were excited to try a new type of dating app that focuses on building something real. I received messages from people telling me how great the idea was and even one message from an anonymous user stating, 'I'm genuinely excited to find love again, thank you for doing this.'"
