Nvidia has announced that it will partner with Microsoft to add previously announced neural shader support to the DirectX API preview during April of this year.
Image source: NVIDIA
According to Nvidia, the integration of neural shaders into DirectX will give developers access to the tensor cores of GeForce RTX graphics cards (specifically the 50-series) to accelerate graphics processing using AI.
In other words, AI will be used not only to interpolate frames and generate new ones based on traditionally rendered ones, but also to assist in rendering the original frame.
Nvidia calls neural shaders a “revolution in graphics programming” that “combines AI with traditional rendering to dramatically increase frame rates, improve image quality, and reduce system resource consumption.”
Direct3D engineering manager at Microsoft Shawn Hargreaves believes that unlocking GeForce RTX’s Tensor Cores will allow developers to create “richer, richer experiences” for Windows.
Zorah – Nvidia’s Neural Rendering Tech Demo
Nvidia has also added support for RTX Mega Geometry (which speeds up ray tracing in scenes with complex geometry) and RTX Hair (hair and fur) for Unreal Engine 5 to the RTX Kit set of neural rendering technologies.
Earlier, it was also announced that on March 18, a demo version of Half-Life 2 RTX will appear on Steam – a comprehensive graphical remaster of Valve’s shooter based on the RTX Remix platform, which officially left beta testing today, March 13.
DLSS 4 upscaling support has now appeared in over 100 games and applications