Generative Stochastic Optimal Transport: Guided Harmonic Path-Integral Diffusion
Not on the map. Why?
Abstract (arXiv)
We introduce Guided Harmonic Path-Integral Diffusion (GH-PID), a linearly-solvable framework for guided Stochastic Optimal Transport (SOT) with a hard terminal distribution and soft, application-driven path costs. A low-dimensional guidance protocol shapes the trajectory ensemble while preserving analytic structure: the forward and backward Kolmogorov equations remain linear, the optimal score admits an explicit Green-function ratio, and Gaussian-Mixture Model (GMM) terminal laws yield closed-form expressions. This enables stable sampling and differentiable protocol learning under exact terminal matching. We develop guidance-centric diagnostics -- path cost, centerline adherence, variance flow, and drift effort -- that make GH-PID an interpretable variational ansatz for empirical SOT. Three navigation scenarios illustrated in 2D: (i) Case A: hand-crafted protocols revealing how geometry and stiffness shape lag, curvature effects, and mode evolution; (ii) Case B: single-task protocol learning, where a PWC centerline is optimized to minimize integrated cost; (iii) Case C: multi-expert fusion, in which a commander reconciles competing expert/teacher trajectories and terminal beliefs through an exact product-of-experts law and learns a consensus protocol. Across all settings, GH-PID generates geometry-aware, trust-aware trajectories that satisfy the prescribed terminal distribution while systematically reducing integrated cost.
Key facts. Cited by 3 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026). Builds on 9 of its 22 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 5 Dec 2025.
Builds on
9 of 22 references.
References · 9
- 2020Denoising Diffusion Probabilistic Modelscited by 21,076
- 2020Score-Based Generative Modeling through Stochastic Differential Equationscited by 9,122
- 2019Theoretical guarantees for sampling and inference in generative models with latent diffusionscited by 97
- 2023Non-Denoising Forward-Time Diffusionscited by 77
- 2015Adaptive importance sampling for control and inferencecited by 23
- 2024Harmonic Path Integral Diffusioncited by 11
- 2013Stochastic Optimal Control as Non-equilibrium Statistical Mechanics: Calculus of Variations over Density and Currentcited by 3
- 2024Space-Time Diffusion Bridgecited by 3
- 2024Physics-Guided Actor-Critic Reinforcement Learning for Swimming in Turbulencecited by 2
Built on by
Citing papers per year: 2026: 3.
3 papers.