How GANs, VAEs, and Transformers Power Generative AI

Generative AI is revolutionizing content creation — from realistic images and lifelike voiceovers to intelligent text generation and drug discovery. At the core of this transformation are three powerful deep learning architectures: Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) , Variational Autoencoders (VAEs) , and Transformers . Each plays a critical role in enabling machines to create data rather than simply analyze it. Let’s break down how each of these models works and contributes uniquely to the generative AI landscape. 🔁 Variational Autoencoders (VAEs): Structured & Interpretable Generation VAEs are a type of autoencoder designed not just for data compression, but also for generating new data samples. How They Work: VAEs consist of two networks — an encoder that maps input data to a latent space, and a decoder that reconstructs data from this space. What makes VAEs unique is that they introduce variational inference , encoding the input as a probability distribution ...