The creator of the renowned AI image generator has announced a new venture, claiming it will be ‘in many ways superior to even MRI machines.’
Midjourney CEO David Holz recently unveiled the company’s inaugural hardware offering, alongside ambitious plans for a San Francisco spa. Holz acknowledged this new direction diverges significantly from the "cat pictures" their AI image generator is known for. The device, christened The Midjourney Scanner, is an advanced ultrasound-based full-body scanner. It employs a sophisticated ring of sensors to capture detailed vertical slices of the body's interior, initially focusing on the composition of muscle, fat, bone, and organs. Holz envisions users engaging with the scanner annually or even daily, stating it “aims for image quality comparable to MRI in many ways.”
Holz personally expressed interest in utilizing the scanner to monitor his body’s physiological responses to dietary and exercise adjustments, remarking, “I’m not the most measured man on Earth yet, you know, but maybe I want to have that daily [measurable information].” Public job listings further illuminate the company's grand objective: to “build and launch the world’s first full-body ultrasound CT scanner, ultimately bringing safe, fast, and high fidelity preventative scanning to billions via a magical spa experience.”
The development of The Midjourney Scanner is a collaborative effort with Butterfly Network, a specialized ultrasound technology firm. Butterfly Network has confirmed that each system incorporates “40 Butterfly Ultrasound-on-Chip™ imaging modules.”
The scanning procedure commences with the user stepping onto a platform, which then gently descends on rails into water. As it moves, the body passes through a ring containing thousands of transducers. These transducers generate ultrasonic waves and subsequently record the ripples created as these waves traverse the body. This data is then analyzed to construct detailed 3D images, with the entire scan reportedly taking approximately 60 seconds. According to Holz, around a dozen individuals have already undergone this scanning process.
Midjourney offers a vivid description of the experience:
“It starts by stepping into a shallow pool of golden light. You then begin to descend into the water. Your body passes through a ring of underwater sensors, each acting like a dolphin, using its echolocation. The sensors send ultrasonic sound waves through your body from every angle. With enough waves, and enough angles, we form an image of what’s happening inside your body.”
This intricate sensor system is coupled with an impressive two petaflops of processing power. However, following the livestreamed unveiling, the precise connection between Midjourney’s core AI image generation technology and this new Midjourney Medical initiative remains somewhat ambiguous, seemingly extending beyond merely repurposing unused AI computational resources.
Holz's vision includes integrating 10 scanners into a dedicated Midjourney Spa, slated to open in San Francisco’s Union Square by the close of 2027. Attendees at the launch event were even offered the opportunity to have their hands scanned. The Midjourney Spa is envisioned as a comprehensive wellness destination, featuring a gym, saunas, and cold plunges, complementing the hot tub-equipped scanning rooms where visitors will immerse themselves for the scans.
Holz acknowledged that certain medical applications would necessitate FDA clearances. However, Midjourney Medical is currently focusing on "body composition maps," which do not demand the same stringent regulatory approval as diagnostic imaging. The company also stated that users' accumulated "library of scans" could be shared with medical professionals, AI health tools, or other relevant parties, emphasizing, “We take data privacy seriously — more details on our data policies will come as we get closer to launch.”
Holz further speculated that these advanced scans could eventually surpass MRI capabilities, offering a rapid, radiation-free, and magnet-free method to visualize the body’s internal workings. During a Q&A, he envisioned a future where the FDA might establish a new category of devices for examining "weird" phenomena, thereby enabling individuals to “just try to get as much data as we can.”
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