How iQIYI’s ZoomAI Revives Classic Films with AI‑Powered Video Enhancement

In celebration of the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, iQIYI partnered with Jiangsu Huaxia Film Restoration to release a 4K version of the 1949 classic Sanmao Wanders , highlighting the company’s broader mission to preserve cultural heritage through technology.

ZoomAI: An AI‑Driven Video Enhancement Suite

ZoomAI is described as a complete video‑enhancement solution that applies artificial‑intelligence techniques to both images and videos. Its architecture consists of multiple interchangeable modules, each targeting a specific quality‑improvement task such as super‑resolution, noise reduction, sharpening, and color enhancement. Each module is built from one or more deep‑learning models, allowing the system to be re‑configured for different content scenarios.

Technical Foundations and Development Timeline

In 2017 the ZoomAI team began developing a mobile‑side super‑resolution algorithm, delivering clearer video playback on handheld devices. By 2018 the team expanded to cloud‑based image‑enhancement pipelines, training models for up‑scaling, denoising, sharpening, and color correction. Subsequent iterations added intelligent scene detection to address video jitter and introduced smart frame‑interpolation and scratch‑removal algorithms for smoother playback.

Performance Improvements

According to internal benchmarks, ZoomAI can enhance images 2,000 times faster and process videos 500 times faster than manual restoration, dramatically reducing bandwidth usage while improving visual quality. These gains enable large‑scale restoration projects such as the “National Drama Restoration” initiative, where hundreds of classic Chinese TV series are being digitized and enhanced.

Collaboration, QA, and Continuous Optimization

The team adopts an iterative feedback loop with iQIYI’s internal quality‑inspection group. After each algorithmic update, the QA team evaluates the output, reports issues, and the developers respond within days, continuously refining model precision. The team also consulted experts at the China Film Archive to align AI‑based restoration with traditional manual techniques.

Cultural Impact and Team Dynamics

ZoomAI’s success is attributed to a youthful, cross‑functional team that blends cutting‑edge research with rapid product iteration. Close cooperation with product managers, AI engineers, and backend infrastructure teams ensures that the enhanced media can be delivered at scale via iQIYI’s cloud platform.

Overall, ZoomAI demonstrates how AI can both preserve historical media and improve modern streaming experiences, offering a scalable alternative to labor‑intensive manual restoration.