Similar image set creating apparatus, method and storage medium

A similar image set creating method comprising:

• acquiring a plurality of images;
• extracting a plurality of first features from the images by using a first model that executes an image classification task;
• extracting a plurality of second features from the images by using a second model that executes an image classification task, the second model being trained in such a manner that mutually similar images in a latent space are continuously distributed, compared to the first model;
• and
• selecting, from the images, an image of interest serving as a reference of a similar image set, and an auxiliary image similar to the image of interest, based on the first features and the second features.

A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer executable instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

• acquiring a plurality of images;
• extracting a plurality of first features from the images by using a first model that executes an image classification task;
• extracting a plurality of second features from the images by using a second model that executes an image classification task, the second model being trained in such a manner that mutually similar images in a latent space are continuously distributed, compared to the first model;
• and
• selecting, from the images, an image of interest 10 serving as a reference of a similar image set, and an auxiliary image similar to the image of interest, based on the first features and the second features.