A statement from AMD, about their work on the PS6, describes how they’ll use AI, as Sony confirms support for ChatGPT.
The Nintendo Switch 2 only just launched but within the next two years we’re very likely to see the next generation Xbox and the PlayStation 6 as well.
That in turn means we’ll soon start to get more official details about the new hardware, from both companies. In fact, just the other week, Microsoft confirmed they were making both a home and portable console, following a multi-year deal with chipmaker AMD.
As is often the case, companies like AMD often end up making chips for rival consoles and they’re also providing the tech for the PlayStation 6. As such, they’ve just made it very clear how much it will rely on AI, in what is set to be the most important technology of the next generation.
Of course, there isn’t really any such thing as AI yet, in terms of software that can think for itself, as the technology that draws creepy looking humans with six fingers is closer to predictive text than it is Skynet.
What’s currently called AI is more usefully referred to as machine learning, and is very useful for mundane tasks, such as increasing resolution and frame rates in video games, without requiring any additional horsepower.
Most modern hardware, including the Switch 2, already makes use of such technology and in a lengthy post on Twitter, Jack Huynh, AMD’s senior vice president for computing and graphics, gave a first hint of what he’s working on for the PlayStation 6.
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He didn’t use the phrases AI or PlayStation 6 but described how Project Amethyst is a ‘co-engineering effort’ with Sony that’s ‘focused on machine learning-driven graphics and gameplay innovations.’
The project has two main goals, of designing a hardware architecture ‘optimised specifically for machine learning workloads in gaming’ and ‘developing high-quality neural networks that push the boundaries of real-time game graphics.’
He provides specific examples too, such as super resolution in FSR 4 (FidelityFX Super Resolution 4). FSR 4 is a machine-learning resolution upscaler, that will be used for the first time with Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 on PC – assuming you’ve got a Radeon RX 9000 series graphics chip.
Huynh also promised machine learning based frame generation and ray regeneration, in other words tech that will make faster frame rates and ray-tracing easier to do and leave the PlayStation 6’s processor free to concentrate on other things.
Naturally, no time frame is discussed, but Huynh insists that, ‘There’s enormous potential ahead, and we’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved so far. The future of gaming is bright – and we’re just getting started.’
Although no one has an issue with upscaling resolutions, frame rate generation is more controversial, because it only creates the illusion of a higher frame rate. It’s still whatever it is – 30fps, say – and so while it looks smoother there’s often noticeable input lag because the controls are still stuck as what they are.
However, the really controversial stuff is using generative AI to create programming code and assets, which Huynh doesn’t touch on in his tweet.
Speaking to IGN though, PlayStation chief architect Mark Cerny stated that, ‘this will support ChatGPT, if that’s what the developers want.’ He seems to imply Sony won’t be pushing the technology that heavily themselves, but they will be supporting it.
Microsoft has already made it very clear that it’s intending to use AI for much more than just upscaling and it seems certain that their talk of the next gen Xbox featuring the ‘largest technical leap’ ever for a generation is based around AI.
How different that will make the capabilities of the Xbox and PlayStation 6 is unclear but while Sony is certainly using similar technology it remains to be seen if they have quite the same enthusiasm for AI as Microsoft does.
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