Sony's latest patent hints at a potential game-changer for PlayStation: AI-powered latency reduction. The patent, WO2025010132, focuses on optimizing "timed release of user commands" by predicting player inputs. This addresses the latency often introduced by advanced graphics technologies like frame generation, which, while boosting frame rates, can negatively impact responsiveness.

Sony's current PlayStation 5 Pro boasts PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR), an upscaler capable of 4K output. However, frame generation techniques employed by competitors like AMD (Radeon Anti-Lag) and Nvidia (Nvidia Reflex) introduce latency issues. Sony's proposed solution involves a multi-pronged approach.

The core of the system is a machine learning (ML) model that anticipates player inputs. This prediction is aided by an external sensor, potentially a camera observing the controller, to detect impending button presses. The patent suggests the sensor could even be integrated into the controller buttons themselves, perhaps leveraging analog input technology.

While the patent's exact implementation in a future PlayStation console (like the hypothetical PlayStation 6) remains uncertain, it highlights Sony's commitment to minimizing latency. This is particularly crucial given the increasing popularity of frame generation technologies like FSR 3 and DLSS 3, which often increase latency. The benefits would be especially noticeable in fast-paced games requiring both high frame rates and low latency, such as twitch shooters. Whether this technology will see the light of day in future hardware remains to be seen.