20 October,2026 12:59 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Image for representational purpose only. Photo Courtesy: File pic
As festive excitement fuels the desire to reconnect, feel attractive and explore new connections, Artificial Intelligence, or AI it is popularly known, is becoming an unexpected wingman. There is something about the festive season that makes emotions feel a little stronger. The lights, the celebrations, the sight of couples making memories and the return of old friends can stir feelings of nostalgia, excitement and longing.
For some, it is the urge to reconnect with someone from the past; for others, it is the desire to meet someone new, feel attractive or experience a little romantic excitement. As social calendars fill up, the need for companionship and attention can become more pronounced.
A Gleeden-IPSOS survey of over 1,500 respondents reveals how people in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad are navigating digital attraction and the fine line between flirting and microcheating.
For anyone hoping to make a connection during the festive season, finding the right words can be half the battle. Should the message be playful, charming or direct? How does one express interest without appearing too eager?
The survey found that 55 per cent of respondents in Delhi had used a conversational agent to improve their seduction techniques in the past 12 months. The figures stood at 49 per cent in Mumbai, 48 per cent in Hyderabad and 47 per cent in Bengaluru. AI is also finding a place in the preparation that happens before the first message. In Delhi, 46 per cent of respondents had used AI in the past year to improve their dating or social media profile descriptions, as had 46 per cent in Mumbai, 35 pper cent in Bengaluru and 26 per cent in Hyderabad. Meanwhile, 46 per cent in both Delhi and Bengaluru had used it to optimise written exchanges with potential partners during the same period.
These findings suggest that AI is becoming a digital sounding board for people trying to make better first impressions. Yet, while a chatbot can suggest a witty opener, it cannot manufacture chemistry. The challenge is to use technology to express one's personality, rather than create a personality that may be difficult to sustain offline.
Once people step into the digital dating space, another pressure emerges: looking irresistible. Festive dressing and photographs have always been part of the celebrations, but social media can turn the process into a constant exercise in comparison. The survey found that 75 per cent of respondents in Delhi and 72 per cent in Mumbai always or sometimes felt pressure to look irresistibly perfect on social media. The corresponding figures were 60 per cent in Bengaluru and 58 per cent in Hyderabad.
AI can help refine a profile or find the perfect caption, but the pursuit of digital perfection can also make people more conscious of how they are perceived. When every photograph and message is carefully curated, the person behind the screen risks becoming secondary to the image being presented. And when attraction is built around these carefully constructed impressions, even ordinary online interactions can become emotionally complicated.
Consider a festive party photograph that attracts a flirty comment, or a late-night conversation with an old acquaintance. What one person considers harmless fun may make their partner uncomfortable. This is where the concept of microcheating enters the conversation. According to the survey, 54 per cent of respondents in Mumbai considered flirtatious conversations on social media with someone other than their partner to be microcheating. The figures were 51 per cent in Bengaluru, 50 per cent in Delhi and 36 per cent in Hyderabad. Other online behaviours also attracted differing responses. Reacting to flirtatious stories with emojis was considered microcheating by 50 per cent of respondents in Delhi, 45 per cent in Bengaluru, 42 per cent in Mumbai and 40 per cent in Hyderabad. Meanwhile, 49 per cent in Delhi considered commenting on a seductive or flirtatious photograph of someone who was not their partner to be microcheating.
These differences reveal that digital boundaries are deeply personal. As festive gatherings create opportunities to reconnect and social media activity increases, conversations about trust and expectations become especially important.
"The festive season often brings our emotions closer to the surface, encouraging us to reconnect, seek companionship and explore new possibilities. AI can help people communicate more confidently, but it cannot replace the trust, emotional honesty and mutual understanding that meaningful relationships require. Our survey findings also show that digital boundaries differ from person to person. What one individual considers harmless flirting may be a breach of trust for another. Technology should help people express themselves better, not dictate how they experience relationships," says Sybil Shidell, who is the country manager for Gleeden India.
As the festive lights come on, AI may help people find the right words, improve their profiles and navigate awkward conversations. But genuine connection still depends on authenticity, respect and the willingness to communicate honestly. This season, let technology help with the introduction, if needed. The real magic, however, lies in what happens when the screens are put aside and two people connect on their own terms.
