DLSS 5 appears to be a generative AI filter for real-time video games

Nvidia announced DLSS 5 on Monday during its GTC conference, and based on early feedback, it will be… A divisive updateWith some feedback Describing it as “regression” Which changes unacceptably Artistic intention. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang calls this “the GPT moment for graphics — blending hand-crafted rendering with generative AI to achieve a huge leap in visual realism while maintaining the control artists need for creative expression.”

In games that support DLSS 5, the tools can instantly provide noticeable boosts to lighting and shadows, but unlike previous versions of the upgrade that used machine learning to bridge the gap between high and low graphics settings, this version applies generative AI to rework lighting and materials with details that look like they were newly added. Examples Which Nvidia demonstrated today from Resident Evil Requiem, Starfield, Hogwarts Legacyand EA Sports Club Each looks more realistic, yes, but the DLSS 5 versions contain changes that feel familiar in the “AI slop” updates we’ve seen applied to photography, video, and other creative endeavors.

According to Nvidia, “The AI ​​model is trained end-to-end to understand complex scene semantics such as characters, hair, texture and translucent skin, along with environmental lighting conditions such as foreground, backlight or cover lighting – all by analyzing a single frame. DLSS 5 then uses its deep understanding to create visually accurate images that handle complex elements such as subsurface scattering on skin, subtle texture sheen and light-material interactions on hair, all while preserving the texture and semantics of the original scene.”

The most obvious effect is that DLSS 5 appears to be making major changes to how character models appear. in case massGenerative AI layered on top of the originals makes the protagonist Grace Ashcroft She looks completely different, as if she used an Instagram filter that made her lips fuller, and applied intense eye shadow.

Apply it in Starfield It delivers similarly miraculous results, as if the intensity has been cranked up to the max, and bright highlights that make her features and hair appear lit even though she’s standing in an environment that doesn’t have that kind of lighting. Nvidia quotes Todd Howard, studio head at Bethesda Game Studios, as saying: “When NVIDIA showed us DLSS 5 and we ran it in… StarfieldIt was amazing how she brought him back to life. We played it. We can’t wait for all of you to do too.

DLSS 5 can play in real time at up to 4K resolution, and while it will certainly please some gamers and developers waiting to see the photorealistic image in more titles, the effect won’t suit everyone. Game developer Mike Bethell wrote “Because you definitely, positively, don’t want any art direction in your gaming experience. It’s disappointing to see anyone taking this crap seriously. What a mess.”

However, Nvidia says it’s providing game developers with controls to let them decide how DLSS 5 affects the look of the game, so it’s possible that by the time it ships, the in-game effects will be different than what we see here.

Nvidia:

DLSS 5 honors artistic intentions in two ways:

Input game colors and motion vectors for each frame into the model, and superimpose the output into the source 3D content.
By providing developers with detailed controls such as intensity and color grading. Artists can use these controls to adjust blend, contrast, saturation, and gamma and decide where and how to apply enhancements to maintain the game’s unique aesthetic. Developers can also hide specific objects or areas to exclude them from optimization.

DLSS 5 is coming this fall, and so far, it’s only been confirmed for compatibility with a select number of games, which, in addition to those mentioned previously, includes big titles like The Sixth Elder Scrolls: Oblivion New edition and Shadows of Assassin’s Creed.