mlsanityData to 7 Oct 2026

All in One: Generative Modeling as Mean-Field Game Design

arXiv 2607.23026 ↗First posted 25 Jul 2026cs.LG cs.AIcited by 0

On the map: Diffusion models → Diffusion and flow policies for robotics

Abstract (arXiv)

Mean-field games (MFGs) offer a unifying lens on continuous-time generative modeling: a cost tuple recovering twelve prominent models---Continuous Normalizing Flows, OT-Flow, Score-based Models, Schr"odinger Bridges, and more---as special cases of one variational problem. Yet two dimensions of this space remain entirely unexplored: the interaction term I is set to zero in many existing models, and the rich family of MFG solvers has never been applied to generative modeling. We address both gaps with MFGLab an open-source PyTorch library whose primary API is the cost tuple: all twelve models are specified by four composable cost functions, and the training loop, log-Jacobian, and reverse-ODE sampler are shared automatically. We additionally propose DI-Flow, a novel cost design that uses a differentiable entropy functional to encourage mode coverage, and provide learning-based MFG solvers that substantially outperform neural training on stochastic-dynamics rows. Experiments on two 2-D benchmarks confirm that the unified API is lossless relative to hand-coded implementations.

Key facts. No citing papers in the map yet (data through 7 Oct 2026). Placed in Diffusion and flow policies for robotics, one of 14 directions in Diffusion models. Builds on 20 of its 29 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 25 Jul 2026.

Builds on

20 of 29 references.

References · 20

  1. 2020Denoising Diffusion Probabilistic Modelscited by 20,851
  2. 2020Score-Based Generative Modeling through Stochastic Differential Equationscited by 8,964
  3. 2022Flow Matching for Generative Modelingcited by 5,426
  4. 2018Neural Ordinary Differential Equationscited by 3,733
  5. 2016Generative Adversarial Imitation Learningcited by 1,576
  6. 2023Stochastic Interpolants: A Unifying Framework for Flows and Diffusionscited by 897
  7. 2018FFJORD: Free-form Continuous Dynamics for Scalable Reversible Generative Modelscited by 584
  8. 2020OT-Flow: Fast and Accurate Continuous Normalizing Flows via Optimal Transportcited by 143
  9. 2022Let us Build Bridges: Understanding and Extending Diffusion Generative Modelscited by 102
  10. 2019A Machine Learning Framework for Solving High-Dimensional Mean Field Game and Mean Field Control Problemscited by 95
  11. 2018Sliced-Wasserstein Flows: Nonparametric Generative Modeling via Optimal Transport and Diffusionscited by 77
  12. 2020SVGD as a kernelized Wasserstein gradient flow of the chi-squared divergencecited by 64
8 more
  1. 2020Fictitious Play for Mean Field Games: Continuous Time Analysis and Applicationscited by 57
  2. 2022Learning in Mean Field Games: A Surveycited by 56
  3. 2023normflows: A PyTorch Package for Normalizing Flowscited by 56
  4. 2023A mean-field games laboratory for generative modelingcited by 28
  5. 2023On Imitation in Mean-field Gamescited by 10
  6. 2024Graphon Mean Field Games with a Representative Player: Analysis and Learning Algorithmcited by 5
  7. 2024Stochastic Semi-Gradient Descent for Learning Mean Field Games with Population-Aware Function Approximationcited by 5
  8. 2024Unsupervised Solution Operator Learning for Mean-Field Games via Sampling-Invariant Parametrizationscited by 3

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  1. 2025Model as a Game: On Numerical and Spatial Consistency for Generative Games
  2. 2026A Unified Measure-Theoretic View of Diffusion, Score-Based, and Flow Matching Generative Models
  3. 2023Guided Flows for Generative Modeling and Decision Making
  4. 2025Ergodic Generative Flows
  5. 2026Scalable Generative Game Engine: Breaking the Resolution Wall via Hardware-Algorithm Co-Design
  6. 2025Towards High-Order Mean Flow Generative Models: Feasibility, Expressivity, and Provably Efficient Criteria
  7. 2026Venom: A PyTorch Generative Modeling Toolkit
  8. 2022A Variational Perspective on Generative Flow Networks