IdGlow: Dynamic Identity Modulation for Multi-Subject Generation
This work addresses the stability-plasticity dilemma in multi-subject image generation for applications requiring complex structural deformations, such as age transformation, representing a significant advancement over existing methods.
The paper tackles the problem of multi-subject image generation, particularly for tasks like identity-preserving age transformation, by introducing IdGlow, a mask-free, progressive two-stage framework based on Flow Matching diffusion models. The result is a method that achieves a superior Pareto balance between state-of-the-art facial fidelity and commercial-grade aesthetic quality, as demonstrated on benchmarks for multi-person fusion and age-transformed group generation.
Multi-subject image generation requires seamlessly harmonizing multiple reference identities within a coherent scene. However, existing methods relying on rigid spatial masks or localized attention often struggle with the "stability-plasticity dilemma," particularly failing in tasks that require complex structural deformations, such as identity-preserving age transformation. To address this, we present IdGlow, a mask-free, progressive two-stage framework built upon Flow Matching diffusion models. In the supervised fine-tuning (SFT) stage, we introduce task-adaptive timestep scheduling aligned with diffusion generative dynamics: a linear decay schedule that progressively relaxes constraints for natural group composition, and a temporal gating mechanism that concentrates identity injection within a critical semantic window, successfully preserving adult facial semantics without overriding child-like anatomical structures. To resolve attribute leakage and semantic ambiguity without explicit layout inputs, we further integrate a badcase-driven Vision-Language Model (VLM) for precise, context-aware prompt synthesis. In the second stage, we design a Fine-Grained Group-Level Direct Preference Optimization (DPO) with a weighted margin formulation to simultaneously eliminate multi-subject artifacts, elevate texture harmony, and recalibrate identity fidelity towards real-world distributions. Extensive experiments on two challenging benchmarks -- direct multi-person fusion and age-transformed group generation -- demonstrate that IdGlow fundamentally mitigates the stability-plasticity conflict, achieving a superior Pareto balance between state-of-the-art facial fidelity and commercial-grade aesthetic quality.