Disney wants to know if you like its movies; and it’s using your facial expressions to figure it out.
Earlier this week Disney announced that is experimenting with an artificial intelligence that tracks a person’s emotional response to a movie. The company’s research branch developed neural networks that can tell a person’s reaction based on how their face moves. The tests were conducted in screenings of movies such as Big Hero 6,” The Jungle Book” and Star Wars.”
After observing an audience member for a few minutes, the technology was able to predict their facial expressions for the remainder of the movie. Researchers say with so much data all around us, it’s critical to find ways to discover patterns automatically. So cameras were set up in in a 400 seat theater during the screenings of 150 movies. At the end, the company had 16 million facial landmarks.
Now Disney can use those to search for expressions at the start of a movie to determine if someone will like it. Similar to how online shopping companies recommend items for purchase. Talk about a game face.
About Brian
CBS News Radio national business journalist Brian Banmiller has spent more than 40 years in the news industry, covering business, politics and the economy on television, radio and in print. Currently, his “Banmiller on Business” reports are delivered to an audience of millions nationwide.
