Introducing Stable Diffusion

Stable Diffusion is a deep learning model that utilizes diffusion processes to generate high-quality artwork from guided instructions and images.

In this chapter, we will introduce you to AI image generation technology, namely Stable Diffusion, and see how it evolved into what it is now.

Unlike other deep learning image generation models, such as OpenAI’s DALL-E 2, Stable Diffusion works by starting with a random-noise latent tensor and then gradually adding detailed information to it. The amount of detail that is added is determined by a diffusion process, governed by a mathematical equation (we will delve into the details in Chapter 5). In the final stage, the model decodes the latent tensor into the pixel image.

Since its creation in 2022, Stable Diffusion has been used widely to generate impressive images. For example, it can generate images of people, animals, objects, and scenes that are indistinguishable from real photographs. Images...