Sony confirms PlayStation systems will be getting AI frame generation for 'fake frames'

PlayStation lead system architect Mark Cerny has sat down for an interview with Digital Foundry, where Sony's next-generation graphics technology was discussed, and it involves AI.

During the interview, Cerny said that PlayStation platforms will eventually get some form of machine learning-based frame generation, which involves an AI scanning the frames within the frame pipeline and creating entirely new frames between the natively rendered frames, boosting the total perceived frames in-game. The technology, while still quite controversial among the PC community for these AI-generated frames being "fake" frames, undoubtedly provides extra performance headroom and enables developers more creative freedom when it comes to performance and visual fidelity.

The technology already exists in its infancy on the PlayStation, with PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR), Sony's version of NVIDIA's DLSS, or AMD's FSR. This upscaling technology is currently used on the PlayStation 5 Pro, with the difference between PSSR and AI-powered frame generation being that PSSR upscales natively rendered frames, while frame generation creates entirely new frames based on past and future frames. Enabling frame generation improves motion performance by artificially increasing the frame rate.

"Just to clarify a few things about the collaboration with AMD, the new PSSR uses the same core co-developed algorithm as FSR Redstone's Upscaling (to avoid confusion, I'll use the new names today rather than FSR4). FSR Frame Generation is also based on co-developed technology (or as my good friend Jack Huynh puts it, 'co-engineered technology'). I'm very happy with how that work is progressing, and an equivalent frame generation library should be seen at some point on PlayStation platforms," said Cerny

When could we see frame generation? Unfortunately, that is anyone's guess, but if I were Sony, I would debut it with the PS6, giving customers a clear value proposition for the next-generation console, particularly showing frame generation working in Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto 6, and how much of a performance increase it can offer.

I think this is a relatively strong theory as we are approaching the end of the lifecycle for the PS5, and releasing frame generation on the current-generation console may negatively impact PS6 sales, as PS5 owners would have just gotten a significant performance increase, possibly making them reconsider if they need the PS6 to enjoy their favorite titles.