Royal Caribbean Creates SoundSeeker for Increased CX

Royal Caribbean International has designed a tool that transforms traveler photos into videos with original soundtracks. This tool, SoundSeeker, is powered by artificial intelligence and uses machine learning to create soundtracks based on the content of each photograph.
 
Users can visit soundseeker.com to upload three photos of their choice. The SoundSeeker AI analyzes the colors, landscapes, backdrops, body language, and facial expressions in the photos and creates fitting music to accompany them.
 
Royal Caribbean teamed up with experts from Berklee College of Music to create the song generator. Berklee used music theory to create a roadmap for the tool that helps pair music to photos, accounting for pitch, tempo, and instrumental combinations, among others. 
 
The contributors from Berklee’s Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship included Michael Bierylo, chair of the Electronic Production and Design program, as well assistant professor Jean-Luc Sinclair and associate professors Ben Hogue and Michael Sweet.
 
Panos A. Panay, director of the institute, says, “We were excited to work with Royal Caribbean International on this new technological innovation, and in the process, redefine what creative collaboration means. The work [has expanded] our students’ definition of what can be accomplished with music education by pushing the boundaries of creative expression utilizing technology.”
 
Machine learning, an artificial intelligence technique that enables computers to simulate human intelligence and make decisions on their own without explicit instructions, powers the soundtrack creation tool. Its learning process entailed more than 600 hours in which Royal Caribbean and a team of musicians and technologists reviewed hundreds of music tracks along with 10,000 photos, matching each of the 2.5 million combinations to one of 10 moods.
 
The tool’s artificial intelligence uses Google Cloud Vision to identify objects, facial expressions, and colors in a user’s photo by referencing the roadmap developed by music theorists at Berklee. It then finds the musical elements corresponding to each mood in the photo to compose an audio-visual photo album. It is equipped to generate over one million unique tracks, based on custom base tracks, composed exclusively for the cruise line. The customized tracks take inspiration from a wide variety of music, including 90s hip-hop, rock, and electronic dance music.
 
“SoundSeeker is the latest proof point of Royal Caribbean innovation and [shows] how we focus on delivering unexpected, memorable experiences” says Jim Berra, chief marketing officer of Royal Caribbean International. “People of all ages crave new ways to share their best experiences on social media. This unprecedented tool allows you to put a completely unique, multisensory spin on sharing those memories—now friends and followers can see and hear your life’s adventures.”
 
 

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