In text generation, models that generate text from scratch one token at a time are currently the dominant paradigm. Despite being performant, these models lack the ability to revise existing text, which limits their usability in many practical scenarios. We look to address this, with DiffusER (Diffusion via Edit-based Reconstruction), a new edit-based generative model for text based on denoising diffusion models -- a class of models that use a Markov chain of denoising steps to incrementally generate data. DiffusER is not only a strong generative model in general, rivalling autoregressive models on several tasks spanning machine translation, summarization, and style transfer; it can also perform other varieties of generation that standard autoregressive models are not well-suited for. For instance, we demonstrate that DiffusER makes it possible for a user to condition generation on a prototype, or an incomplete sequence, and continue revising based on previous edit steps.

In the wake of the Parkland school shooting, President Trump is meeting with video game executives and members of congress to discuss the role of simulated violence and the impact on America's youth. They called it the "Filthy 15." Fifteen songs from 15 bands or artists that the Parents Music Resource Center found offensive due to explicit content. The PMRC's leaders were Susan Baker, wife of then-Treasury Secretary James Baker, and Tipper Gore. Gore was wife of then-Sen. The acts in question were Prince, AC/DC, Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Black Sabbath, Sheena Easton and Vanity.