Generative AI and Stochastic Thermodynamics: A Tale of Free Energies

Originating from lectures delivered at the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences, this book presents a unifying perspective on traditional and modern methods in generative AI and stochastic thermodynamics. By relating the core topics in machine learning to the notion of (variational) free-energy, a bridge is built between methods such as latent variable models, variational auto-encoders, optimal control, optimal transport, normalizing flows and diffusion models and concepts such as ent...