It’s an age-old night-life scenario: you lock eyes with a stranger across a crowded bar, share a couple of cocktails, followed by the classic “walk of shame” the next morning.

For generations, one-night stands have been a late-night experience so common, some describe it as a sexual rite of passage.

But according to a new ‘sex trends’ report by Lovehoney, the casual hook-up is officially facing extinction as young people reject the act in favour of more meaningful encounters.

Elisabeth Neumann, sexologist and head researcher at global sex toy retailer, told news.com.au that younger generations aren’t necessarily more “prudish”, but are instead reacting to a radically altered dating climate.

The shift is being driven by a range of factors including dating app fatigue, a massive decline in night-life, and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

“With more than a quarter of late-night venues closed since 2020, we’re seeing a real shift in how young people approach alcohol and night-life,” Ms Neumann explained.

The data revealed that only half of 18 to 24 year-olds have had a drunken sexual encounter, compared to nearly 70 per cent of 25-to-34-year-olds and almost three-quarters of 35-to-44-year-olds.

The Lovehoney report noted that “without the inhibition-lowering effects of alcohol or specific spaces where hooking up is socially sanctioned, it’s no wonder that one-night stands are in decline”.

On top of that, a cost-of-living crisis means many young people are still living at home and the conditions that once made casual encounters accessible have largely disappeared.

That’s reflected in the data, with a massive 77 per cent of those living with their parents saying they’d never bring a one-night stand home.

Instead, more young people are opting for more intentional intimacy.

“This generation has been brought up in a society that treats sexuality in a completely different way to their parents,” Ms Neumann shared.

“Gen Z aren’t rejecting intimacy, they’re being more intentional about it, attaching more meaning to sex and seeking connection on their own terms.”

As a result of this new-found approach, young people are having far less sex than older generations.

Aussies aged between 46 and 61 are currently having sex almost twice as often — averaging 62 times per year — compared to their Gen Z counterparts, who clock in at just 36 times a year.

Dating in the age of apps and AI

Inevitably, AI and dating apps have had a tremendous impact on how young people date and engage in intimacy.

While 30 per cent of Gen Z and 35 per cent of millennials still use dating apps, a staggering 78 per cent report severe swipe burnout and scepticism.

“Digital intimacy, from sexting to dating apps, can replace real-world experiences of touch and connection, which can leave us more disconnected,” Ms Neumann warned.

On top of that, nearly half of Gen Z and millennials are talking to AI about their dating and sex lives, with 32 per cent more likely to consult a bot than their own friends.

“Where you may once have agonised over a text or analysed it with friends, you can now get instantaneous feedback from AI,” the report read.

“In 2026, it’s highly possible that the talking stages of some relationships will be largely carried out by AI.”

So how are people meeting and dating?

With dating app fatigue, a decline in clubbing, and more young people living at home, it begs the question: how are younger generations actually meeting their matches?

According to the report and wider data, there’s actually been a slow but steady returning to old-fashioned, face-to-face encounters.

Interestingly over a quarter of millennials cited meeting their partner at work.

We’ve also seen the proliferation of curated social events, with singles run clubs, speed-dating mixers, and underground social clubs exploding in popularity across major metropolitan areas.

So, while the modern dating scene might feel like a minefield, experts can agree on one thing: apps and AI can never replace the human need for real-world intimacy and connection.