Online Dating Simulation
By Anastasia Sokolova
Online Dating Simulation is an immersive installation designed to raise awareness among women about the red flags in dating. This thoughtfully curated individual experience combines AI and projection mapping to lead each visitor through a personal dating journey: the challenge is not to find the perfect match, but to recognize potential dangers.
Within the simulation, participants encounter a spectrum of AI-driven behavioral types, reflecting the subtle patterns of attraction, manipulation, and control that often shape real-life relationships. The installation invites visitors to create their online profile and interact with eight distinct AI personas.
It continues with the 360° ambisonic Male Gaze Alley, provoking a visceral sense of unease, exposure, and being watched. The simulation culminates in a game-like finale that reveals whether wise or risky choices were made throughout the journey.
Although designed specifically for women, the experience also offers men a chance to see through the eyes of women walking through the Male Gaze Alley, and to reflect on their ability to truly empathize and understand. Online Dating Simulation provides insights on how intuition and experience both can distinguish real connection from dangers in everyday online dating, turning endless swipes into moments of clarity about safety and self-protection.