Tessellations of Semi-Discrete Flow Matching
On the map: Diffusion models → Flow matching, time series and science
Abstract (arXiv)
We study Flow Matching in a semi-discrete setting where a Gaussian source is transported toward a discrete target supported on finitely many points. This semi-discrete regime is the theoretical setting behind the use of Flow Matching for generative modeling, where the target distribution is represented by a finite dataset. In this semi-discrete regime, the exact Flow Matching velocity field is available in closed form, which makes it possible to analyze the geometry induced by the terminal flow map independently of optimization and approximation effects. We investigate the terminal assignment regions, namely the preimages of the target atoms under the terminal flow. We show that these regions are open, simply connected and, under an additional assumption, homeomorphic to the unit ball. At the same time, a planar four-point example shows that these cells can differ sharply from Laguerre cells arising in semi-discrete optimal transport: they may be non-convex, have curved boundaries, and exhibit different boundedness and adjacency patterns. These results clarify the geometry intrinsically induced by the exact semi-discrete Flow Matching objective before neural approximation enters the picture.
Key facts. Cited by 2 papers in the map (data through 7 Oct 2026). Placed in Flow matching, time series and science, one of 14 directions in Diffusion models. Builds on 15 of its 24 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 8 May 2026.
Builds on
15 of 24 references.
Closest ancestors · 10
Same direction, newest first
- 2025Statistical Properties of Rectified Flow5 Nov
- 2025Gradient Variance Reveals Failure Modes in Flow-Based Generative Models20 Oct
- 2025On the Closed-Form of Flow Matching: Generalization Does Not Arise from Target Stochasticity4 Jun
- 2025On the Relation between Rectified Flows and Optimal Transport26 May
- 2024On the Convergence and Straightness of Rectified Flow19 Oct
- 2023Multisample Flow Matching: Straightening Flows with Minibatch Couplings28 Apr
- 2023Improving and generalizing flow-based generative models with minibatch optimal transport1 Feb
- 2022Flow Matching for Generative Modeling6 Oct
- 2022Rectified Flow: A Marginal Preserving Approach to Optimal Transport29 Sep
- 2022Flow Straight and Fast: Learning to Generate and Transfer Data with Rectified Flow7 Sep
Other references · 5
- 2022Building Normalizing Flows with Stochastic Interpolantscited by 964
- 2018Computational Optimal Transportcited by 765
- 2025Memorization and Regularization in Generative Diffusion Modelscited by 39
- 2016Convergence of a Newton algorithm for semi-discrete optimal transportcited by 13
- 2026One-Shot Generative Flows: Existence and Obstructionscited by 2
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Citing papers per year: 2026: 2.
2 papers.
Similar, not cited
Close in wording, no citation either way
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- 2025On the continuity of flows
- 2025A Theoretical Analysis of Discrete Flow Matching Generative Models
- 2026Flow Matching under Noisy Latent Structure: Beyond Exact Low-Dimensional Support
- 2026Particle Dynamics of Flow Matching and Classifier-Free Guidance from a Stagewise Geometry Perspective
- 2026Topological Flow Matching
- 2026Beckmann Transport Models: From Autonomous Flows to One-Step Maps
- 2026VTV-FM: Flow Matching through Variational Terminal-Velocity Closure