Given a diffusion process (as blur) there are an infinite number of initial states which converge to a specific final state. This is the nature of diffusion (think of it as: as long as the total initial energy is the same, the final state of a diffusion process is “homogeneous density of energy”). So inferring an “initial state” is totally invalid.
Edit: look at the 64 to 256 to 1024 example in the “Unconditional…” section and take a look at the artifact on the bottom left (to the viewer) teeth and lip. If that is not an artifact… Same on the top-right teeth.
Also: how does the algorithm know it is facial hair and not just makeup? It might be both but it generates facial hair.
Still, it's very cool how it fills in realistic looking details.
https://christophm.github.io/interpretable-ml-book/adversari...