Haliey Welch, known for her viral “Hawk Tuah” video, launches the AI dating app Pookie Tool, marking a new chapter in her career as she transitions to a full-time tech entrepreneur
Welch has become famous quickly, with about 5 million fans on social media in just a few months.
She recently released her podcast called “Talk Tuah,” Now she’s going into tech with a new app called Pookie Tool that gives dating tips based on AI.
Pookie Tool appeared on the App Store this week and has many features geared toward Gen Z singles. It has an AI robot to help you start conversations and give general dating advice. It also has outfit suggestions for dates, tips on improving your dating profile, and even a feature that tells you which signs are compatible.
The app came out when many young daters were upset about how online dating works, saying it’s full of problems like ghosting, scams, and other issues. Some users have even used AI tools like ChatGPT to help them find dates by asking questions that start whole talks. Big dating apps like Bumble and Tinder have also added AI tools.
It’s not the first time a content creator has released an app, but Welch is the first person in her career to do so. This could mean other content creators are worried about how long their success will last. Bigger names in the field, like Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) and David Dobrik, have already released their apps.
When TechCrunch talked to Welch, they talked about her new app, named after a cute nickname she gives her boyfriend.
Welch said the idea for the podcast came from Bill Maher, who I talked about on his show. He told me I should be a relationship guide, which was pushy. That’s how the idea came to us. It’s easy for them to find their forever Pookie with this app.
The app was made with the help of Ben Ganz, the founder of Ultimate AI Studio, a tool for automating AI customer service.
To begin with, Welch’s app seems like a fun and interesting idea for people dating or in a relationship. It works like other AI-powered relationship teaching tools, answering all kinds of relationship questions, like how to have a great date, communicate effectively, or settle a disagreement.
One of its best features is its ability to give you creative date ideas based on where you are and whether it’s your first date or the tenth time you’ve seen someone. Additionally, the app gives you suggestions on what to wear to look your best for all dates, from easy coffee dates to fancy dinners.
It can also look at your dating app profiles and give you feedback, like fun questions to answer or suggestions on adding more pictures that show off your personality. The “Flirt Meter” on Pookie rates your text messages from 0 to 100 to see how flirty they are.
When we heard that the Hawk Tuah girl would be giving dating tips through a new app, we thought the chatbot would be funny and honest like her. But when we tested Pookie Tool’s AI chatbot, it was clear that the answers were generic and didn’t have the unique personality we hoped for. So, it felt a lot like ChatGPT and other AI tools that are already out there.
That said, Ganz says they are training the model with podcast recordings.
“Bald Predictor” and “Height Detector,” on the other hand, might be seen as controversial.
Bald Predictor looks at a person’s picture and looks for possible hair loss trends. Height Detector estimates height by looking at measurements and the environment.
Some women are upset when men lie about their height on dating sites or hide hair loss in photos. These two AI tools seem to be responses to those complaints. Some women are already using ChatGPT to tell guys they’re lying about their height.
But the tools might seem mean, and they might reinforce the idea that short, bald guys are less important.
What Welch says is that the tools are meant to be fun. She said that the height detector is her best tool because she is 5’8″ and likes it.
And, like all AI technologies, the Height Detector isn’t 100% correct; it only gives you a rough idea. Different tests gave us different answers, but one was only 2 inches off from the person’s real height when we considered the height of the ceiling and the countertops next to the person. When we tried the Bald Predictor, some pictures didn’t help the AI figure out how likely the person would go bald.
Welch and Ganz said they would work with podcast guests and other content makers to add new features in the future, but they didn’t say what features would be added. Holly Madison, Whitney Cummings, and other famous people have been on Talk Tuah, which may get more people to use the app.
Pookie Tool is paid for by membership; it costs $7 a week or $50 a year. You can try it for free for three days.
