A couple of months ago, Microsoft officially revealed something called Automatic Super Resolution (Auto SR), which is an AI-upscaling technology that's being implemented in the latest CoPilot+ PCs featuring Snapdragon X processors.
The idea behind Auto SR is to render "existing" games at a lower resolution (resulting in improved frame rates) and then use "advanced, often AI-powered, algorithms" to "upscale and enhance the visuals with stunning detail". It can technically be applied to any game, as all you have to do is enable the feature within Windows.
"Auto SR stands out in two exciting ways: it’s applied automatically and enhances existing games. Like other SR technologies, Auto SR uses AI to improve frame rates and image quality. However, Auto SR focuses on bringing the benefits of super resolution to your existing game library with no manual configurations needed. This makes it ideal for players who prefer a straightforward experience."
"Simply start your game, and Auto SR instantly enhances it, allowing you to effortlessly enjoy visuals that surpass native 1080p quality with the fast frame rates typically seen at lower resolutions. Auto SR boosts detail and performance on compatible hardware, transforming your gameplay and letting you experience select titles in a new light."
It's still early days for Auto SR right now, with only a small number of titles properly optimised for the technology, but it's generating a lot of discussion already - mainly thanks to a Digital Foundry deep dive that was published yesterday.
Xbox's Phil Spencer clearly enjoyed it too, as he was spotted reposting the following tweet on social media:
This is all well and good, but what does it mean for Xbox? Well, Microsoft has said nothing about implementing Auto SR into consoles as of yet, aside from a brief mention that the Auto SR team's aspiration is to "consistently deliver exceptional enhancements across all formats and devices". Possibly, one day, that'll include Xbox as well.
That said, we'll probably be waiting until the next generation of Xbox before that happens (if it does at all), so don't get your hopes up just yet! It's a feature that's certainly worth keeping an eye on though - here's what DF says about it:
"Auto SR is no DLSS or XeSS, but it certainly has its uses and when it works well, the quality boost is appreciable."
"It's an intriguing start for the technology and I'll be following its progress with much interest."