The chief executive officer of IMAX, Richard Gelfond, said at the Bank of America Media, Communications & Entertainment Conference, that the company utilizes AI (Artificial intelligence) in order to “blowup images” that were shot on non-IMAX cameras, in order to be screened at IMAX theaters. 

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IMAX and AI tech

IMAX CEO, Richard Gelfond, was asked about his approach to AI technologies. The intriguing question was referred to at the Bank of America Media, Communications & Entertainment Conference as stated: “IMAX is the most premium content offering there is. Give us your views about those AI technologies and how you plan to integrate them into your business”. So Gelfond has answered: “I don’t think AI will write stories, replace actors, implement new facts on bodies…I don’t think this is what it’s going to be. However, AI will be involved much more in post-production, and more in image enhancements. We actually dabbled with AI for a number of years, and as I said earlier, we use it to blow up images. We use AI to make the images look better, we sharpen the edges, and we take the grain out. We have been using AI for supplements for a while. And I think advances in the area will be very good”.

We actually dabbled with AI for a number of years, and as I said earlier, we use it to blowup images. We use AI to make the images look better, we sharpen the edges, and we take the grain out.

IMAX CEO – Richard Gelfond

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Furthermore, Gelfond added: “I think AI is also going to help a lot in marketing and analyzing data. For instance, IMAX can use a lot of improvement in that area. We have a lot of data, but I don’t think we are adapting as we need to be, how to analyze that data, and how to target the audience. Thus, I think AI is going to be extremely helpful there”. Additionally, Gelfond mentioned the Ssimwave acquisition by stating: “In terms of Ssimwave as mentioned, there’s a lot of AI technology there. The former CEO of that company became our Chief Product Officer, so we are aggressively trying to figure it out how to utilize AI in oner segments of our business”.

IMAX and SSIMWAVE

I think AI is also going to help a lot in marketing and analyzing data. For instance, IMAX can use a lot of improvement in that area. We have a lot of data, but I don’t think we are adapting as we need to be, how to analyze that data, and how to target the audience. Thus, I think AI is going to be extremely helpful there.

IMAX CEO – Richard Gelfond

IMAX proprietary algorithm: From non-IMAX cameras – to IMAX theaters

Although no new info was added regarding the new IMAX cameras (that were postponed to 2024), Gelfond has been talking frequently about the IMAX proprietary algorithm, which transfers non-IMAX images, to extreme imagery that can be screened on the huge canvas. In recent interviews Gelfond mentioned a special device attached to IMAX-certified cameras, that helps to enhance that image and to adapt it to a big screen presentation. However, the best reference for that utilization of the IMAX proprietary algorithm and AI tech, is the talked-about sci-fi project, The Creator. The movie was shot entirely on Sony FX3 which is not an IMAX-certified camera. Nevertheless, the ProRes RAW footage was undergone special treatment by IMAX AI technologies, in order to boost the imagery and make it capable enough to hold up against the huge canvas. Anyway, there’s no replacement for the real IMAX 65mm film cameras. We do hope that we’ll see the 2nd generation soon.