Midjourney Scanner promises MRI-quality scans in 60 seconds, but lacks FDA approval

AI Image Generator Company Pivots to Medical Hardware

Midjourney, the AI image generator company known for turning text prompts into images, announced a dramatic shift in direction with the unveiling of the Midjourney scanner, its first hardware product1

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. CEO David Holz introduced the full-body scanner at a San Francisco event on June 17, admitting the project is "a bit different from the 'cat pictures'" produced by its generative AI tools1

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. The company launched Midjourney Medical to house this new venture, marking an unexpected entry into the healthcare hardware market2

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The body scanning device uses ultrasound technology developed through a Butterfly Network partnership, with Midjourney securing exclusive rights to Butterfly Ultrasound-on-Chip technology through a licensing agreement signed in November 20252

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. Each ultrasonic medical scanner incorporates 40 Butterfly Ultrasound-on-Chip imaging modules1

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. The project is led by Ahmad Abbas, Midjourney's head of consumer hardware projects, who joined the company in late 2023 after working on the Vision Pro at Apple2

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How the Ultrasonic Sensors Create a 3D Map of the Body

The scanning process begins when users step onto a platform that descends into water at approximately 2 inches per second5

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. The body passes through a ring containing half a million tiny squares, each the size of a grain of sand, capable of emitting ultrasonic waves and recording ripples at millions of times per second5

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. These ultrasonic sensors function like dolphin echolocation, sending sound waves through the body from every angle to capture detailed internal imaging3

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The device generates terabytes of data each second, requiring two petaflops of processing power for image reconstruction1

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. Through signal processing, the system converts wave patterns into a 3D map of the body down to a fraction of a millimeter, analyzing muscle, fat, bone, and organ composition5

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. David Holz claims the scan takes about 60 seconds and "aims for image quality comparable to MRI in many ways," representing nearly a hundred times the speed of traditional full-body MRIs that typically require 60 to 90 minutes1

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The Device Is Not Actually Using AI for Imaging

Despite Midjourney's reputation as an AI company, the scanner mostly does not rely on artificial intelligence. "We're not even using any AI in this yet, just really cool hardware and software," Holz stated4

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. The company uses AI-driven data processing only to segment and label what a scan shows, but the imaging itself relies on ultrasound technology and signal processing rather than generative AI4

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. This raises questions about how the preventative health tool connects to Midjourney's core AI image generation business, beyond providing an alternative use for otherwise-unused AI compute resources1

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FDA Clearance Remains a Major Hurdle

The Midjourney scanner currently lacks regulatory approval and produces only "detailed body composition maps" that don't require the same level of FDA clearance as diagnostic imaging1

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. Holz mentioned that various medical applications would require FDA clearance, which the company intends to pursue over time4

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. Without regulatory approval, the device cannot function as a true rival to MRI machines for diagnostic purposes4

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. The company plans to submit early test results to the FDA in hopes of obtaining clearance to build devices with "increased capabilities"3

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. So far, only about a dozen people have been scanned1

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Midjourney Spa Plans and Ambitious Global Expansion

Holz announced plans to open the Midjourney Spa in San Francisco's Union Square before the end of 2027, featuring 10 scanners alongside gym facilities, saunas, and cold plunges1

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. The roughly 25,000 square foot space will house scanning rooms with hot tub-equipped pools where visitors descend into "golden light" for their scans4

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. The company positions the scan as "a side-effect" of a relaxing spa experience, suggesting users could build a "huge library of data about your health" through frequent visits3

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Midjourney's ambitions extend far beyond a single location. The company aims to deploy 50,000 scanners worldwide by 2031 with capacity for "a billion scans a month"4

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. Over the next 12 months, Midjourney will fine-tune its algorithms and hardware while conducting research trials and working on a second-generation design2

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. In 2028, the company hopes to expand to more cities and launch third-generation machines using custom silicon for improved image quality2

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. Holz declined to disclose pricing for individual scans4

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Health Claims and Medical Skepticism

Midjourney claims that with sufficient early imaging, "the world could avoid 30 percent of all deaths and 50 percent of all healthcare costs"2

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. The company positions its technology as cheaper than an MRI while offering similar diagnostic potential as a preventative health tool3

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. Holz suggested using the scanner to track how his body changes in response to diet and workout modifications, envisioning daily measurable information about body composition1

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However, whole-body screening of healthy people remains contested in medicine due to concerns about false positives and incidental findings that lead to unnecessary, sometimes invasive, follow-up procedures4

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. A scanner promising a billion scans monthly would amplify this debate rather than resolve it4

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. Midjourney, which has no outside investors and calls itself a "community-backed research lab," has never built a physical product or operated a medical device4

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. The company is currently fighting intellectual property lawsuits from Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery over its AI image generation tool4

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. For now, the most accurate description of the Midjourney scanner is an ambitious prototype awaiting regulatory validation and clinical proof of its medical claims.