Midjourney Invests $74M in Whole-Body Ultrasound Business

Midjourney Inc., the San Francisco research lab known for its generative AI image tools, officially launched Midjourney Medical on June 18 with plans to deploy whole-body ultrasound scanners in spa-like facilities. The company has committed $74 million through a partnership with ultrasound manufacturer Butterfly Network, first disclosed in November.

The venture aims to install 50,000 scanners globally by 2031, with capacity for one billion scans monthly. Midjourney describes its technology as "ultrasonic CT," claiming it can deliver whole-body imaging comparable to MRI in just 60 seconds, without radiation or magnetic fields.

The business model

Midjourney's first flagship location, scheduled to open in the Bay Area by the end of 2027, will combine medical imaging with wellness amenities including hot tubs, saunas, and cold plunges. The facility will house 10 scanners, which the company says will have "the capability to do more body scans a year than all MRI scanners on earth combined."

The scanner prototype incorporates 40 Butterfly Ultrasound-on-Chip imaging modules per system. Future versions are expected to use substantially more modules. Under the five-year agreement, Midjourney will pay Butterfly a $15 million one-time fee, $10 million annually in licensing fees, and up to $9 million in milestone-based payments. Butterfly Network's stock jumped 33% following the announcement, according to Radiologybusiness.com, which first reported these details.

Why it matters

The venture represents a significant pivot for Midjourney, which built its reputation on text-to-image AI generation and operates without traditional venture capital backing. The company's entry into medical imaging raises questions about how AI firms with consumer-facing products will navigate healthcare's regulatory requirements and clinical validation standards. The skepticism from radiologists highlights the gap between marketing vision and medical evidence that often accompanies health tech announcements.

Medical community pushback

Radiologists quickly challenged Midjourney's claims on social media. Francis Deng, MD, a neuroradiologist and assistant professor at Johns Hopkins Medicine, pointed to fundamental limitations: ultrasound cannot penetrate bone, air, or deep soft tissues, making many body parts inaccessible. He also noted Midjourney's previous misstep when it generated an anatomically incorrect image of rat anatomy that was published and later retracted.

Laura Heacock, MD, a breast radiologist and associate professor at NYU Langone Health, questioned why patients would choose experimental full-body ultrasound over established whole-body MRI with proven diagnostic quality. She acknowledged the technology looks promising for body composition analysis but said what's been presented "does not outperform modern US, CT or MRI."

Gennaro D'Anna, MD, a neuroradiologist with CDI Centro Diagnostico Italiano in Milan, expressed concern that "potentially revolutionary medical technologies are introduced through cinematic AI-generated marketing videos rather than through rigorous scientific evidence."

Midjourney stated it will spend the next 12 months refining algorithms and hardware while conducting research trials and submitting test results to the FDA for expanded capabilities.

These details were first reported by Radiologybusiness.com.