Atlas report
Who works on Generative Adversarial Networks and Image Synthesis, and where
Among doctoral starts, Generative Adversarial Networks and Image Synthesis takes 2.4 times the share it took over the previous three years, +42 189 people.
The short answer
34 545 indexed researchers with a known country work on Generative Adversarial Networks and Image Synthesis; the subject takes 2.6% of all subject assignments in the index.
Among doctoral starts, Generative Adversarial Networks and Image Synthesis takes 2.4 times the share it took over the previous three years, +42 189 people.
Since 2024, Generative Adversarial Networks and Image Synthesis drew 17 257 newcomers against 5 567 in the previous window, a ratio of 3.1 where the average subject sits at 1.6.
What stands out
Relative to its size, Hong Kong leans hardest on Generative Adversarial Networks and Image Synthesis: 4.3% of its subject assignments, 1.6 times the world share.
The 2025 intake for Generative Adversarial Networks and Image Synthesis was 1.2 times the average of the three previous years, against 0.8 worldwide.
By country
Two countries, China and the United States, account for 60% of Generative Adversarial Networks and Image Synthesis, against 53% of the whole index for the same pair.
Country reports: China, United States, United Kingdom, South Korea, Germany, India.
| Country | Researchers | Share of the subject | Share of the country's researchers |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 14 011 | 41% | 3.4% |
| United States | 6 886 | 20% | 2.4% |
| United Kingdom | 1 366 | 4.0% | 2.6% |
| South Korea | 1 358 | 3.9% | 3.6% |
| Germany | 1 183 | 3.4% | 2.0% |
| Hong Kong | 891 | 2.6% | 4.3% |
| Canada | 774 | 2.2% | 2.4% |
| India | 753 | 2.2% | 1.6% |
| France | 673 | 1.9% | 2.0% |
| Singapore | 631 | 1.8% | 3.9% |
| Japan | 551 | 1.6% | 2.1% |
| Italy | 451 | 1.3% | 1.9% |
Newcomers by year
546 researchers on Generative Adversarial Networks and Image Synthesis declare a doctorate in progress on their ORCID record, started and without an end date yet.
On 666 dated profiles, the median time from first paper to defence on Generative Adversarial Networks and Image Synthesis is 4.0 years.
| First publication | New on Generative Adversarial Networks and Image Synthesis | Share of the world's newcomers |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1 072 | 5.6% |
| 2020 | 1 172 | 5.7% |
| 2021 | 1 481 | 6.1% |
| 2022 | 2 048 | 6.1% |
| 2023 | 2 038 | 6.9% |
| 2024 | 1 852 | 6.4% |
| 2025 | 2 334 | 9.8% |
Compared with subjects of the same size
Set against Domain Adaptation and Few-Shot Learning and Advanced Image and Video Retrieval Techniques, two subjects of similar headcount, the difference is the pace of entry. Reports: Domain Adaptation and Few-Shot Learning.
| Generative Adversarial Networks and Image Synthesis | Domain Adaptation and Few-Shot Learning | Advanced Image and Video Retrieval Techniques | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Researchers | 34 545 | 32 343 | 25 247 |
| Largest country | China | China | China |
| Newcomers, recent against previous window | 3.1 | 2.3 | 0.8 |
Method
Subjects follow the OpenAlex taxonomy, on the profiles that carry one; a person can carry several, so shares are shares of subject assignments. A country is where the institution sits. Newcomers are dated by first publication, and a doctorate in progress is a junior profile with a first publication and no dated defence. The index is built from arXiv, OpenAlex, ORCID and DBLP and grows every night. See the atlas, how to find and hire AI researchers and how long an AI doctorate takes.
Common questions
- How many researchers work on Generative Adversarial Networks and Image Synthesis?
- 34 545 researchers in the Founding Hires index carry Generative Adversarial Networks and Image Synthesis as a subject, across the largest countries, as of September 2026. Worldwide the subject holds 2.6% of all subject assignments.
- Which countries lead on Generative Adversarial Networks and Image Synthesis?
- China (14 011), United States (6 886), United Kingdom (1 366).
- Is Generative Adversarial Networks and Image Synthesis growing?
- Yes, faster than the world. Since 2024, 17 257 people in Generative Adversarial Networks and Image Synthesis published for the first time, against 5 567 over the three years before, a ratio of 3.1 where the world sits at 1.6.
- How many doctorates on Generative Adversarial Networks and Image Synthesis are in progress?
- 546 researchers on Generative Adversarial Networks and Image Synthesis declare a doctorate in progress on their ORCID record, started and without an end date yet.
The names behind the numbers
Every count on this page is a list in the index.
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