Gamers Hate Nvidia's DLSS 5. Developers Aren’t Crazy About It, Either
Why it matters: DLSS 5's controversial AI-driven realism sparks a debate over creative control and the future of gaming aesthetics.
- Nvidia introduced DLSS 5 at its GTC conference, intending to use generative AI for more realistic character faces, moving beyond its traditional role of improving frame rates.
- Gamers reacted with strong disapproval, calling the effect 'AI slop,' 'yassified,' and 'porn faces,' comparing it to over-processed social media filters and noting issues like over-sexualization and visual artifacts.
- Developers are also wary, as DLSS 5 represents a 'generative-AI rubicon' where Nvidia's tool could make visual changes to games without their explicit consent, unlike previous versions.
- Kevin Bates, CEO of Arduboy, acknowledges the technical achievement of running such complex generative AI on a single graphics card, a feat he previously expected only from cloud-based rendering services.
- The Verge criticized DLSS 5, likening its effect to 'motion smoothing, but worse,' highlighting the negative impact on visual fidelity and the introduction of unexpected artifacts in real-time demos.
Nvidia's new DLSS 5, unveiled at GTC, aims to use generative AI for hyper-realistic in-game character faces, a significant departure from its previous frame-rate boosting function. However, this ambitious shift has been met with widespread backlash from gamers, who find the effect off-putting and artificial, and has also raised concerns among developers due to its potential to alter game visuals without their direct input.
