[ezl]

(Note: Loved this story, so I don't want this comment to be interpreted criticism.)

If you strip away the machine learning/computer/math part, the story is: After 88 first dates, Chris finds someone he thinks he wants to marry. (Article says from the first 55 1st dates -> 3 2nd dates -> 1 3rd date).

It seems possible that going on 88 random dates would lead to a similarly shaped funnel.

While "use math" sounds like smart strategy, many (most probably?) happily married people have not gone on 88 actual first dates.