Sony confirms AI frame generation for PlayStation as PSSR upscaling gets 100 microseconds faster

Sony Confirms AI Frame Generation for Future PlayStation Hardware

PlayStation lead hardware architect Mark Cerny has confirmed that AI frame generation is coming to PlayStation platforms, though the exact timeline remains unclear. Speaking to Digital Foundry about Project Amethyst, Cerny stated that no new releases are planned for 2025 but declined to specify whether the feature will arrive on the PS5 and PlayStation 5 Pro or be exclusive to the PS6 1

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. Machine learning technology will enable the system to insert synthetically generated frames between natively rendered ones, boosting frame rates and delivering enhanced visual smoothness 1

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Cerny explained that AI frame generation uses machine learning to analyze motion vectors and pixel data from native frames, effectively doubling or even tripling frame rates in supported titles 1

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. "An equivalent frame generation library should be seen at some point on PlayStation platforms," Cerny told Digital Foundry, adding that he looks forward to discussing upgraded frame generation technology in the future 2

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. The current PS5 already offers frame generation built on AMD's FSR 3, though it relies on interpolation between real frames rather than machine learning 1

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Updated PSSR Delivers Speed and Quality Improvements

Sony's PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution has received a substantial update that makes it approximately 100 microseconds faster than the original implementation 3

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. Mark Cerny revealed that this speed improvement was crucial for implementing the "Enhance PSSR Image Quality" option, which allows Sony to force-upgrade all PSSR-supported games 3

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. "If you use it, frame drops should become oh-so-slightly rarer," Cerny explained 3

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The updated AI upscaling technology delivers enhanced image stability, improved image quality in fine details, and more consistent performance across supported titles 3

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. Games including Resident Evil Requiem, Silent Hill f, Monster Hunter Wilds, Dragon's Dogma 2, Alan Wake 2, and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth have already received the update, with Crimson Desert, Cyberpunk 2077, and Assassin's Creed Shadows expected to follow 3

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. Sony stated that most new PS5 Pro titles will launch with support for the enhanced PSSR moving forward 3

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AMD Partnership Shapes PlayStation's AI Future

Cerny confirmed that both PSSR and FSR frame generation are based on technology co-developed by Sony and AMD through Project Amethyst 1

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. "The new PSSR uses the same core co-developed algorithm as FSR Redstone's upscaling," Cerny told Digital Foundry, referring to AMD FSR Redstone as the latest machine learning-based build of AMD's upscaling technology for PC 4

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. However, implementation differences exist due to underlying hardware variations 4

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"FSR Redstone and the new PSSR have somewhat different implementations due to the underlying hardware, e.g. FSR Upscaling uses 8-bit floating point, and PSSR uses 8-bit integer," Cerny explained 4

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. The PS5 Pro uses INT8 processing and is rated at 300 TOPS for INT8 performance, significantly higher than PC graphics cards like the Radeon RX 7800 XT at 75 TOPS 4

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. Digital Foundry's analysis found the upgraded PSSR to be dramatically improved from the original version, which did not use machine learning and relied on spatial and temporal algorithms 4

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Understanding Frame Generation's Benefits and Limitations

While AI frame generation can insert three frames between two rendered frames with 4x models, increasing frame rates dramatically, it introduces trade-offs including graphical artifacts, ghosting, and increased latency 2

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. Games need to maintain frame rates closer to 60 fps before any interpolation to achieve smoother gameplay and minimize artifacting 2

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. Both Nvidia and AMD have recently updated their frame generation technologies for PC, with Nvidia shipping DLSS 4.5 in January to positive reception, while AMD's FSR 4.1 received a more lukewarm response 1

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Console gamers may benefit more from frame generation than PC users, as developers can tune these models to limit potential drawbacks 2

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. The PS6 will likely use AMD's next-generation Zen 6 CPU and RDNA 5 GPU microarchitecture, similar to Xbox's Project Helix 2

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. Even with powerful hardware, these consoles will still need upscaling help to deliver the high resolution and refresh rates that modern gaming demands 2

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