Invariable generation and the chebotarev invariant of a finite group

Abstract: A subset S of a finite group G invariably generates G if G = <hsg(s) j s 2 Si > for each choice of g(s) 2 G; s 2 S. We give a tight upper bound on the minimal size of an invariable generating set for an arbitrary finite group G. In response to a question in [KZ] we also bound the size of a randomly chosen set of elements of G that is likely to generate G invariably. Along the way we prove that every finite simple group is invariably generated by two elements.