mlsanityData to 14 Oct 2026

Interpolating between Images with Diffusion Models

arXiv 2307.12560 ↗First posted 24 Jul 2023cs.CVcited by 38

On the map: Diffusion models → Image generation, text-to-image and editing

Abstract (arXiv)

One little-explored frontier of image generation and editing is the task of interpolating between two input images, a feature missing from all currently deployed image generation pipelines. We argue that such a feature can expand the creative applications of such models, and propose a method for zero-shot interpolation using latent diffusion models. We apply interpolation in the latent space at a sequence of decreasing noise levels, then perform denoising conditioned on interpolated text embeddings derived from textual inversion and (optionally) subject poses. For greater consistency, or to specify additional criteria, we can generate several candidates and use CLIP to select the highest quality image. We obtain convincing interpolations across diverse subject poses, image styles, and image content, and show that standard quantitative metrics such as FID are insufficient to measure the quality of an interpolation. Code and data are available at https://clintonjwang.github.io/interpolation.

Key facts. Cited by 38 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026). Placed in Image generation, text-to-image and editing, one of 14 directions in Diffusion models. Builds on 18 of its 21 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 24 Jul 2023.

Builds on

18 of 21 references.

Closest ancestors · 6

Same direction, newest first

  1. 2023Adding Conditional Control to Text-to-Image Diffusion Models10 Feb
  2. 2022InstructPix2Pix: Learning to Follow Image Editing Instructions17 Nov
  3. 2022Null-text Inversion for Editing Real Images using Guided Diffusion Models17 Nov
  4. 2022Imagic: Text-Based Real Image Editing with Diffusion Models17 Oct
  5. 2022Photorealistic Text-to-Image Diffusion Models with Deep Language Understanding23 May
  6. 2022Hierarchical Text-Conditional Image Generation with CLIP Latents13 Apr

Other references · 12

  1. 2021Learning Transferable Visual Models From Natural Language Supervisioncited by 33,744
  2. 2020Denoising Diffusion Probabilistic Modelscited by 21,076
  3. 2021High-Resolution Image Synthesis with Latent Diffusion Modelscited by 18,863
  4. 2020Denoising Diffusion Implicit Modelscited by 9,781
  5. 2018A Style-Based Generator Architecture for Generative Adversarial Networkscited by 6,013
  6. 2019Analyzing and Improving the Image Quality of StyleGANcited by 3,588
  7. 2022Elucidating the Design Space of Diffusion-Based Generative Modelscited by 3,045
  8. 2021Alias-Free Generative Adversarial Networkscited by 1,184
  9. 2018OpenPose: Realtime Multi-Person 2D Pose Estimation using Part Affinity Fieldscited by 1,162
  10. 2016Realtime Multi-Person 2D Pose Estimation using Part Affinity Fieldscited by 1,064
  11. 2021GAN Inversion: A Surveycited by 367
  12. 2019On the "steerability" of generative adversarial networkscited by 248

Built on by

Cited by year (2026 to 14 Oct)

Citing papers per year: 2023: 2; 2024: 11; 2025: 17; 2026: 8.

38 papers.

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  1. 2023Smooth Diffusion: Crafting Smooth Latent Spaces in Diffusion Modelscited by 49
  2. 2024AID: Attention Interpolation of Text-to-Image Diffusioncited by 25
  3. 2023IMPUS: Image Morphing with Perceptually-Uniform Sampling Using Diffusion Modelscited by 21
  4. 2025FreeMorph: Tuning-Free Generalized Image Morphing with Diffusion Modelcited by 17
  5. 2024DreamMover: Leveraging the Prior of Diffusion Models for Image Interpolation with Large Motioncited by 16
  6. 2024TVG: A Training-free Transition Video Generation Method with Diffusion Modelscited by 15
  7. 2024PERSE: Personalized 3D Generative Avatars from A Single Portraitcited by 15
  8. 2024SRIF: Semantic Shape Registration Empowered by Diffusion-based Image Morphing and Flow Estimationcited by 12
  9. 2024The Art of Deception: Color Visual Illusions and Diffusion Modelscited by 9
  10. 2025Probability Density Geodesics in Image Diffusion Latent Spacecited by 9
  11. 2025FreeBlend: Advancing Concept Blending with Staged Feedback-Driven Interpolation Diffusioncited by 8
  12. 2025Versatile Transition Generation with Image-to-Video Diffusioncited by 7
26 more
  1. 2024Going beyond Compositions, DDPMs Can Produce Zero-Shot Interpolationscited by 5
  2. 2024Gen-SIS: Generative Self-augmentation Improves Self-supervised Learningcited by 5
  3. 2025Image Interpolation with Score-based Riemannian Metrics of Diffusion Modelscited by 4
  4. 2025Balanced conic rectified flowcited by 4
  5. 2026MorphAny3D: Unleashing the Power of Structured Latent in 3D Morphingcited by 4
  6. 2026Interp3D: Correspondence-aware Interpolation for Generative Textured 3D Morphingcited by 4
  7. 2025Be Tangential to Manifold: Discovering Riemannian Metric for Diffusion Modelscited by 3
  8. 2025Vibe Spaces for Creatively Connecting and Expressing Visual Conceptscited by 3
  9. 2024LASER: Tuning-Free LLM-Driven Attention Control for Efficient Text-conditioned Image-to-Animationcited by 2
  10. 2025Contrastive Diffusion Alignment: Learning Structured Latents for Controllable Generationcited by 2
  11. 2025Instruction-based Time Series Editingcited by 1
  12. 2025Exploring and Leveraging Class Vectors for Classifier Editingcited by 1
  13. 2025Which Way from B to A: The role of embedding geometry in image interpolation for Stable Diffusioncited by 1
  14. 2026Video Analysis and Generation via a Semantic Progress Functioncited by 1
  15. 2026AlignMorph: Tuning-Free Diffusion Image Morphing via Explicit Semantic Transportcited by 1
  16. 2024Manipulating and Mitigating Generative Model Biases without Retrainingcited by 0
  17. 2024Stylish and Functional: Guided Interpolation Subject to Physical Constraintscited by 0
  18. 2025"I Know It When I See It": Mood Spaces for Connecting and Expressing Visual Conceptscited by 0
  19. 2025Generative diffusion model surrogates for mechanistic agent-based biological modelscited by 0
  20. 2025Blending Concepts with Text-to-Image Diffusion Modelscited by 0
  21. 2025A Likely Geometry of Generative Modelscited by 0
  22. 2025ReBrain: Brain MRI Reconstruction from Sparse CT Slice via Retrieval-Augmented Diffusioncited by 0
  23. 2026Probing the Geometry of Diffusion Models with the String Methodcited by 0
  24. 2026Ego-InBetween: Generating Object State Transitions in Ego-Centric Videoscited by 0
  25. 2026DeepJEB++: Foundation Model-Driven Large-Scale 3D Engineering Dataset via 2D Latent Space Augmentationcited by 0
  26. 2026Image Tokenizers Should Be Trained Between Imagescited by 0

Similar, not cited

Close in wording, no citation either way

  1. 2025Addressing degeneracies in latent interpolation for diffusion models
  2. 2023Paste, Inpaint and Harmonize via Denoising: Subject-Driven Image Editing with Pre-Trained Diffusion Model
  3. 2025Single-Reference Text-to-Image Manipulation with Dual Contrastive Denoising Score
  4. 2024Diffusion Model-Based Image Editing: A Survey
  5. 2024InitNO: Boosting Text-to-Image Diffusion Models via Initial Noise Optimization
  6. 2023Text-to-Image Diffusion Models are Zero-Shot Classifiers
  7. 2023DiffMorpher: Unleashing the Capability of Diffusion Models for Image Morphing
  8. 2022Image Embedding for Denoising Generative Models