iQIYI Enhances Video Experience with AI Technology

BEIJING, June 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- China's leading online video service provider iQIYI announces its plan to set up an innovation lab to develop AI benchmarks with global partners while unveiling the strategy to build the company into a "world-class AI-driven entertainment company". 

iQIYI told the plan at the AI Video Summit during the iQIYI Technology & Entertainment World Conference in Beijing on June 9^th. The event comprises keynotes and panels led by a distinguished array of industry leaders including Dr. Tang Xing, chief technology officer of iQIYI, John Couling, global senior vice-president of Dolby Labs, Dr. Chen Baoquan, chief scientist of The Advanced Innovation Center for Future Visual Entertainment of Beijing Film Academy, Song Jiqiang, head of Intel Labs China and Tang Jili, president and CEO of China Film International.

In a keynote speech, Dr. Tang elaborated the value of AI in the online video area by taking iQIYI's innovative practice as an example.

"A massive amount of content, large user base and strong cloud computing power have made the online video industry enter the AI entertainment era at a faster pace," said Dr. Tang.

iQIYI, A top player in China's mobile entertainment market, has developed multiple AI-driven applications based on natural language processing (NLP) and pattern & image recognition technologies, which help the company expand space for commercialization as well as improve user experience to a new level, he said.

A function he highlighted at the summit is that of "search by image", which enables users to search for their target movies or dramas simply with posters, screenshots and pictures. The video streaming platform has also developed numerous functions such as "smart tag", "video on demand", "smart clip" and "3D face swap " by analyzing user behavior data. For example, with "3D face swap", users can swap faces with actors or actresses and see their own "performance" in the show thanks to iQIYI's AI technologies.

What's more, iQIYI has drawn on deep learning to develop a set of business intelligent system capable of predicting box office, online traffic and revenue, which has become an important tool in the company's decision-making process for content purchasing and investment. The further exploration of AI technologies facilitates iQIYI to improve content production and operation efficiency and provide more personalized services for users.

At the summit, Dr. Tang also announced that iQIYI would establish an innovation lab dedicated to the research on AI technologies to be applied in video industry and the development of AI benchmarks along with top partners worldwide. The lab will serve as the company's technology research and development center, with a goal to build the largest video streaming platform in China into a major AI player in global online entertainment world.

In addition to AI sector, iQIYI has already partnered with many of the top tech companies in the world like Dolby Labs, Intel and NVIDIA, taking lead in technology innovations in different areas in online entertainment industry and working together to bring better online visual and audio experience to China's viewers.

Mr. John Couling of Dolby Labs said in a keynote that the long-lasting cooperation between Dolby and iQIYI had achieved great success and allowed hundreds of millions of Chinese online viewers to enjoy shows with their mobile devices as if they were sitting in a movie theater.

In the future, iQIYI aims to create a sophisticated AI-driven entertainment ecosystem by applying this cutting-edge technology in every major category of its businesses from online literature, dramas, films, games to animation and e-commerce. Through top-down integration of resources across the industry chain, iQIYI can technologically drive businesses in IP discovery, content creation, precision marketing and other dimensions, in an effort to achieve a win-win result with all of its partners.

SOURCE iQIYI