In various examples, high-precision semantic image editing for machine learning systems and applications are described. For example, a generative adversarial network (GAN) may be used to jointly model images and their semantic segmentations based on a same underlying latent code. Image editing may be achieved by using segmentation mask modifications (e.g., provided by a user, or otherwise) to optimize the latent code to be consistent with the updated segmentation, thus effectively changing the original, e.g., RGB image. To improve efficiency of the system, and to not require optimizations for each edit on each image, editing vectors may be learned in latent space that realize the edits, and that can be directly applied on other images with or without additional optimizations. As a result, a GAN in combination with the optimization approaches described herein may simultaneously allow for high precision editing in real-time with straightforward compositionality of multiple edits.