How do GANs contribute to data augmentation?

GANs, or Generative Adversarial Networks, contribute to data augmentation primarily by generating additional synthetic training samples, which enhances training datasets. The process involves two neural networks: a generator and a discriminator. The generator creates new data instances, while the discriminator evaluates their authenticity against real data.

By generating new, high-quality synthetic samples, GANs help broaden the diversity and volume of training data available for machine learning models. This is particularly useful in scenarios where obtaining real data is difficult, expensive, or limited. Increased data variety improves model robustness by allowing it to learn from a wider range of possible input conditions, ultimately leading to better generalization when the model encounters unseen data in real-world applications.

While some other options touch on aspects of data processing, they do not align with the core functionality and purpose of GANs in the context of data augmentation. For instance, compressing existing data or removing outliers focuses on data cleaning and management rather than generating new examples. Normalizing data distributions is related to preprocessing steps that facilitate model training but does not involve the creation of new training data in the same way that GANs do.