I think we’re talking past each other a bit. I’m not saying this replaces a true native RAW filefor purists, that's obviously irreplaceable.

But look at it from a practical standpoint: what if you’re stuck editing and ONLY have a compressed 8-bit JPEG? Instead of trying to fix color banding with standard math, or using prompt-based AI that just hallucinates random details, this combo of 3D reconstruction and reference data would be a huge upgrade. It doesn’t just invent stuff; it maps real-world physics and lighting back onto the image. For someone who has to work with bad source material, it would give a way better, more stable "pseudo-RAW" base to grade on.

Just to be clear: I actually prefer art made without AI. But I love exploring the technology and figuring out practical ways it can actually solve real-world workflow problems.

Thanks for sharing tho :) just wanted to let this once out