Sony is set to enhance the graphics capabilities of the PlayStation 5 Pro by integrating advanced AI upscaling technology. This development, based on AMD’s FSR 4 upscaling technique, will arrive in 2026 and provide crisper and smoother visuals for gamers.
The US$700 PlayStation 5 Pro offers improved graphics over the standard PS5, producing sharper and more stable visuals. However, Sony aims to take this further with an upgraded PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) upscaler, influenced by AMD’s latest FSR 4 technology. PlayStation’s lead architect, Mark Cerny, confirmed this move in an interview with Digital Foundry, stating, “Our target is to have something very similar to FSR 4’s upscaler available on PS5 Pro for 2026 titles as the next evolution of PSSR.”
Sony and AMD collaboration brings new advancements
Many PS5 Pro games already use Sony’s AI-based PSSR upscaler, which enhances 720p images to 4K while improving visual effects. PSSR has impressed many with its quality, but Sony and AMD’s partnership further pushes the boundaries.
The companies’ collaboration goes back to 2023 with a project called Project Amethyst. While details were initially scarce, it has now been revealed that FSR 4 was the first major result of this joint effort. Cerny stated, “The neural network (and training recipe) in FSR 4’s upscaler are the first results of the Amethyst collaboration.” He further highlighted that the new approach offers improved sharpness beyond what PSSR currently provides.
FSR 4 is already featured in AMD’s latest RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT graphics cards, which compete with Nvidia’s DLSS upscaling technology. Sony plans to adapt this technology’s elements for the PS5 Pro, giving future games even greater visual fidelity.
Sony’s future plans for AI-driven graphics technology
Despite the advancements, Sony still encourages developers to use PSSR, as integrating FSR 4’s upscaling network into the PS5 Pro will take time. Cerny explained that Sony plans to have its own unique implementations of AMD’s algorithms, tailoring them specifically for PlayStation hardware.
Interestingly, Cerny hinted that Project Amethyst may not be limited to gaming consoles. “Now, to be clear, this technology has uses beyond PlayStation, and it’s about supporting broad work in machine learning across various devices – the biggest win is when developers can freely move their code from device to device,” he said.
This suggests that Sony’s long-term vision includes expanding AI-driven upscaling beyond the PS5 Pro, potentially applying it to other Sony products or even cross-platform gaming solutions. While gamers will have to wait until 2026 to experience these improvements, the company’s collaboration with AMD signals an exciting future for graphics technology in the gaming industry.
