Future Sony PlayStation games will use AI to imagine new frames | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersArchivesStoreVerge Product UpdatesSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Future Sony PlayStation games will use AI to imagine new framesComments DrawerCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...NewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsGamingCloseGamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GamingTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechFuture Sony PlayStation games will use AI to imagine new framesDoes this mean the PS6 is getting AI frame gen? Or will it come to PS5 Pro?Does this mean the PS6 is getting AI frame gen? Or will it come to PS5 Pro?by Sean HollisterCloseSean HollisterSenior EditorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Sean HollisterMar 20, 2026, 7:46 PM UTCLinkShareGiftPhoto by Vjeran Pavic / The VergeSean HollisterCloseSean HollisterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Sean Hollister is a senior editor and founding member of The Verge who covers gadgets, games, and toys. He spent 15 years editing the likes of CNET, Gizmodo, and Engadget.Mark Cerny, the lead architect of the PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro, told Digital Foundry that ML-based frame generation tech is coming to “PlayStation platforms” in the future, letting the game console use AI to imagine new frames between the ones it’s actually rendering, which can create smoother perceived image quality while (typically) introducing some amount of lag. At least, that’s how it works on PCs, where critics call them “fake frames.”It’s not clear whether Cerny means he’ll bring it to the PS5 Pro, which just got better AI upscaling with an upgraded PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) technique, or whether it’ll have to wait for the possibly-delayed-due-to-RAM Sony PS6, which Sony already teased would include some next-gen dedicated ray tracing hardware called Radiance Cores.Cerny previously suggested the PS6 wouldn’t arrive before 2027 at the earliest, and that’s also true of this ML-based frame generation. “All I can say is that we have no more releases planned for this year. And that I look forward to discussing this more in the future,” he told Digital Foundry.But if the PS6 is delayed, Sony might want to try to get more out of the existing PS5 Pro in the meanwhile.This won’t be the first implementation of frame gen on console. The PS5 already offers AMD FSR3 frame generation in some games, but FSR3 doesn’t have the machine learning support. It’s interpolating between real frames, rather than AI imagining what should be between them.Nvidia and AMD typically warn that frame generation isn’t a solve for low framerate, because you need a relatively stable framerate to begin with for the technique to work. I don’t typically use it on gaming handhelds, where I might only get 30 to 40fps to begin with on a title, and on my desktop where I can easily get 90fps on higher settings, I usually prefer leaving it off. There are some edge cases where I enjoy it, though.Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Sean HollisterCloseSean HollisterSenior EditorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Sean HollisterAMDCloseAMDPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All AMDGamingCloseGamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GamingNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsPlayStationClosePlayStationPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PlayStationTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechMost PopularMost PopularMarc Andreessen is a philosophical zombieValve’s huge SteamOS 3.8 update adds long-awaited features — and supports Steam MachineBelkin’s wireless HDMI adapter freed me from a long annoying cable when I travelGoogle Search is now using AI to replace headlinesA rogue AI led to a serious security incident at MetaThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. 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Sony PlayStation’s future strategy regarding frame generation technology is poised to significantly impact the visual fidelity and perceived smoothness of gameplay experiences. Lead architect Mark Cerny has indicated that machine learning-based frame generation is slated for integration across PlayStation platforms, a development designed to artificially generate new frames between rendered frames. This technique, often referred to as “fake frames,” aims to mitigate the limitations of traditional rendering pipelines, particularly in scenarios where the console struggles to maintain a consistently high framerate. The implementation, as Cerny outlined to Digital Foundry, involves the console’s AI systems actively imagining and constructing frames that would otherwise be absent, thereby creating a smoother, more visually fluid experience for the player.

The specifics of when this technology would be deployed remain somewhat ambiguous. Cerny’s statement suggests it will initially be available on the PlayStation 5 Pro, a significantly upgraded version of the original PS5 currently slated for release, and potentially on the forthcoming PlayStation 6. The timeline for the PS6 is currently projected to be no earlier than 2027, aligning with the anticipated rollout of this AI-driven frame generation. Sony is also exploring this technology in preparation for the PS6, potentially to address performance constraints.

Currently, frame generation is being implemented through AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution 3 (FSR3) within certain games. However, this utilizes a simpler interpolation method, relying on the extrapolation of existing frames rather than the sophisticated AI-driven imagination offered by Cerny’s proposed system. The value of ML-based frame generation hinges on the console’s ability to accurately predict and create visually plausible frames, a challenge that could be impacted by the limitations of the PS5 Pro's RAM, a factor that is contributing to the delayed release.

It’s important to note the typical cautionary stance taken by Nvidia and AMD when promoting frame generation technologies. Both companies frequently emphasize that frame generation effectively addresses low framerates, but it is far more effective when a stable, relatively high framerate already exists. In scenarios where a game is inherently struggling to maintain a consistent framerate, such as on handheld gaming devices where performance is often limited to 30 to 40 frames per second, frame generation’s efficacy diminishes considerably. Similarly, on a desktop system where 90 frames per second is easily obtainable, the supplemental benefit of frame generation is less pronounced. Despite these potential limitations, there are certain use cases where this technology can offer a noticeable improvement, particularly in scenarios where visual fidelity is prioritized over absolute framerate.

The introduction of ML-based frame generation represents a significant shift in Sony’s approach to console hardware and game development. This marks a departure from solely relying on dedicated ray tracing hardware, as proposed for the PS6, and embraces a more software-centric strategy, leveraging the increasing computational power of modern consoles to push the boundaries of visual quality. Sony’s strategic decision to prioritize this approach highlights a recognition of the growing demand for smoother, more immersive gaming experiences.