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Nvidia and Microsoft announce collaboration to standardize hardware-accelerated AI at GDC 2026
Friday, March 13, 2026 at 12:38 AM
Nvidia and Microsoft have announced a collaboration at GDC 2026 to standardize hardware-accelerated AI. This initiative aims to streamline how AI workloads interface with hardware, potentially impacting how semiconductor architectures are optimized for Windows ecosystems.
Context
At GDC 2026, NVIDIA and Microsoft announced a landmark collaboration to standardize hardware-accelerated AI through DirectX, integrating NVIDIA RTX neural rendering directly into the Windows graphics pipeline. This partnership introduces neural shading support to the Microsoft DirectX preview in April 2026, allowing developers to access AI Tensor Cores to accelerate neural networks within a game's shaders. The initiative aims to revolutionize graphics programming by combining AI with traditional rendering to boost frame rates and visual fidelity across the industry.
During the announcement, Shawn Hargreaves, Direct3D development manager at Microsoft, stated: "Microsoft is adding cooperative vector support to DirectX and HLSL, starting with a preview this April." He noted that unlocking Tensor Cores on NVIDIA RTX will allow developers to fully leverage RTX Neural Shaders for more immersive experiences. This standardization effort is part of a broader push that includes over 100 DLSS 4 applications and the release of NVIDIA RTX Kit updates for Unreal Engine 5.
Sources (14)
NVIDIA RTX Innovations Are Powering the Next Era of Game Development | NVIDIA Technical BlogNVIDIA and Microsoft Open Next Era of Gaming With Groundbreaking Neural Shading Technology | NVIDIA NewsroomMicrosoft, NVIDIA and Anthropic Announce Strategic PartnershipAdvanced Shader Delivery: What's New at GDC 2026 - DirectX Developer BlogMicrosoft Game Dev at GDC 2026FAQs about using AI in Windows apps | Microsoft LearnFostering AI infrastructure advancements through standardization | Microsoft Azure BlogAccelerating AI: 4 ways Microsoft and NVIDIA enable frontier firms in 2026 | VentureBeat
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