From smartphones to air fryers, several popular gadgets have been found to ‘spy’ on users.
Now, it seems that not even the cinema is safe.
British cinema chain, Vue, is quietly using artificial intelligence (AI) to track viewer habits and boost admissions.
Affecting all of its 93 cinemas in the UK and Ireland, the system identifies the best locations and times to show films in order to maximise ticket sales.
So if you saw ‘Gladiator II’ or ‘Paddington in Peru’ at a Vue cinema over the weekend, there’s a chance your viewing habits have been used to inform future screening times.
While the news may raise alarm bells for cinemagoers, experts say that the technology should not be a concern.
Speaking to MailOnline, James Bore, an expert at consultancy Bores Group, said: ‘This sort of data analytics has been around for decades.
‘They don’t need your identity, and will aggregate everyone’s data in an area to work out when the best time to show a film is, what films to show, how many staff they might need, popcorn to prepare, and so on.’
From smartphones to air fryers, several popular gadgets have been found to ‘spy’ on users. Now, it seems that not even the cinema is safe (file photo)
British cinema company Vue is using artificial intelligence (AI) to track viewer habits and boost admission numbers. Affecting all of its 93 cinemas in the UK and Ireland, the system identifies the best locations and times to show films in order to maximise ticket sales
Vue founder and CEO Tim Richards has previously described his company as ‘pioneers in the technology globally’.
‘AI is responsible for booking all of our screens and it determines what we play at what cinema on what screen and at what time,’ he told Deadline.
‘Ours is a proprietary system that we developed ourselves and it’s a classic AI that is constantly learning and evolving.’
Vue’s AI exists on the booking system on the website and app, and creates film schedules based on previous customer booking habits and their locations.
By analysing past preferences and sales data, it determines where and when Vue plays its films – so how many screenings a day and at what times.
For example, if a Vue cinema in a certain location sells many children’s tickets on a Saturday daytime, the AI will ‘learn’ that the location has a high population of families.
Meanwhile, if it sells out Polish films in a location, the AI will know that there is a large Polish community in that area, meaning it will suggest more Polish film screenings going forward.
This allows Vue cinemas to identify the best times to show certain films in order to maximise ticket sales, while reducing the chances of nearly-empty cinema screenings.
Vue’s AI exists on the booking system on the website and app, and creates film schedules based on previous customer booking habits and their locations
The AI’s learning capabilities reportedly even extends to snack selection, letting cinemas anticipate where there’s the most demand for popcorn, sweets and more.
Jake Moore, security advisor at ESET, said the rise of artificial intelligence is ‘revolutionising numerous industries including the cinema sector’.
‘Factors built into the algorithm are based on demand, time of day, and even seating preferences, all helping the industry maximise profits,’ Moore told MailOnline.
‘By enabling personalised marketing and streamlining operations, AI is improving the movie-going experience while helping theatres remain competitive.’
Other than the location of your chosen cinema, Vue’s AI is unlikely to be taking personal data such as your name, age or exact address, Mr Bore thinks.
‘Vue could be using your identity to advertise films to you through marketing emails that they think will fit your viewing profile, but for that you’ll need to be signed up to their marketing,’ he added.
It’s unclear if Vue is using AI in any way to learn about customers once they have stepped inside the cinema, through the use of cameras and sensors, for example.
MailOnline has contacted Vue for comment.
If you’ve seen the new ‘Gladiator II’ film at a Vue cinema over the weekend, there’s a chance your viewing habits are being used to inform future screening times
CEO Tim Richards – who co-founded Vue as ‘Spean Bridge Cinemas’ in 1999 – said Vue’s AI ‘knows a lot about our audience’ in a given location.
‘So it knows there’s a small Turkish community near Islington where we could put extra screens on for that audience with Turkish films,’ he told Deadline.
‘We know there is a large Polish community in certain areas of the country where we would bring more Polish films.’
Mr Richards said the AI system was started ‘almost nine years ago’ but the company is ‘only starting to talk about it now’.
It’s unclear if any Vue customers knew their habits were being looked at this way until now.
‘We’ve rolled it out in Italy and we’re seeing the same kind of very promising results there that we saw in the UK and we will be rolling it out across all of our markets,’ he added.
‘Our business is movies, but in periods where we’ve got a little bit of extra screen time, we’ve been hosting music, theater, and sporting events.
‘And the AI will also schedule alternative programming events around our feature films.’
When comparing performance with its closest competitors, it seems that Vue’s AI approach has worked, reports the Times.
Vue’s annual ticket sales were £206 million, more than rivals Cineworld (£199 million) and Odeon (£196 million) – although all three are facing declining revenues.
Vue revenues fell by 1 per cent, while Cineworld and Odeon were down 15 per cent and 12 per cent, respectively.
Largely, the cinema industry was decimated by Covid before receiving a much-needed shot in the arm by James Bond film No Time to Die’ in autumn 2021.
Cinemas also benefitted from the buzz surrounding Barbenheimer – the coincide release of ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ last summer.
In the UK, the two movies took £30 million on their opening box office weekend – making it the most successful weekend for UK cinema-going since 2019.
Over the ensuing couple of months, ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ pumped a remarkable £140 million into the UK box office.
Industry figures are hoping ‘Gladdington’ – the simultaneous interest in ‘Paddington in Peru’ and ‘Gladiator II’ released this month – will achieve similar numbers.