A new, potentially revolutionary artificial intelligence framework called "Blackout Diffusion" generates images from a completely blank canvas, meaning that unlike other generative diffusion models, this machine learning algorithm does not require a "random seed" to start working.

The samples generated by Blackout Diffusion, which were presented at a recent international machine learning conference, can rival current diffusion models such as DALL-E or Midjourney, but with fewer computational resources.

"Generative modeling is leading the next industrial revolution, as it has the ability to assist in many tasks, such as generating software code, legal documents, and even artwork," said Javier Santos, an AI researcher at Los Alamos National Laboratory and co-author of Blackout Diffusion.

"Generative modeling can be used for scientific discoveries, and our team's work lays the foundation and practical algorithms for applying generative diffusion modeling to inherently non-continuous scientific problems," he added.

Diffusion models create samples that resemble their training data. They work by taking an image and repeatedly adding noise until the image becomes unrecognizable. Throughout the process, the model tries to learn how to restore it to its original state.

Current models require input noise, meaning they need some form of data to start generating images.

"We have demonstrated that the quality of samples generated by Blackout Diffusion is comparable to current models, using less computational space," said Yen-Ting Lin, a physicist at Los Alamos and project lead for Blackout Diffusion.

Another unique aspect of Blackout Diffusion is the space it operates in. Existing generative diffusion models work in continuous spaces, which means they occupy dense and infinite spaces. However, working in continuous spaces limits their potential in scientific applications.

"To run existing generative diffusion models, diffusion must mathematically exist on a continuous domain; it cannot be discrete," explained Lin.

On the other hand, the team's theoretical framework operates in discrete spaces, meaning that there is a certain distance between each point in space. This opens up opportunities for various applications, such as text and scientific applications.

The team tested Blackout Diffusion on multiple standardized datasets, including the Modified National Institute of Standards and Technology database, the CIFAR-10 dataset containing images of objects from 10 different categories, and the CelebFaces attribute dataset consisting of over 200,000 facial images.

In addition, the team used the discrete nature of Blackout Diffusion to clarify widespread misconceptions about how diffusion models work internally, providing important insights into generative diffusion models.

They also provided design principles for future scientific application frameworks. "This represents the first foundational research on discrete-state diffusion modeling and indicates the direction for using discrete data in future scientific applications," said Lin.

The team explained that generative diffusion modeling has the potential to significantly speed up the time it takes for multiple scientific simulations to run on supercomputers, supporting scientific advancements and reducing the carbon footprint of computational science. Some broad examples they mentioned include dynamic underground storage repositories, chemical models for drug discovery, and single-molecule and single-cell gene expression to understand biochemical mechanisms in living organisms.