Toward AI in 6G: Concepts, Techniques, and Standards
The rapid evolution of cellular networks, driven by the proliferation of mobile devices and the exponential growth of the Internet of Things (IoT), has significantly advanced wireless communication technologies. Fifth generation of wireless communications technology (5G) enhanced data rates, latency, and network capacity, resulting in the emergence of new applications. However, the sixth generation (6G) is foreseen to support a new set of use cases with diverse requirements. This paper explores the critical role of artificial intelligence (AI) in shaping the trajectory from 5G to 6G. We discuss AI applications in 5G for network planning, resource allocation, traffic management, and security, as well as propose infrastructure upgrades, like edge servers and enhanced network topologies, to support AI in 6G. Additionally, we outline a visionary perspective on AI’s potential contributions to 6G, highlighting its role in enabling innovative services and applications. By providing this forward-looking perspective, this paper aims to stimulate discussion and guide the development of intelligent and autonomous 6G networks.
Authors
- Pramesh Gautam (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-4504-3847)
- Zied Ennaceur
- Guenter Klas
- Bitan Banerjee (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8165-5735)
- Hans D. Schotten (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5005-3635)
- Mohammad Asif Habibi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9874-0047)
- Sina Shafaei (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9381-0197)
- Muhammad Qurratulain Khan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7075-8990)
- Gerhard Fettweis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4622-1311)
- Phuong Bich Duong (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-6080-9650)
- A Husseini
- Norman Franchi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2777-4722)
- Alexandros Palaios (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7116-1739)
- Rafael F. Schaefer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1702-9075)
- Simone Mangiante (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5646-7927)
- Carsten Bockelmann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8501-7324)
- Torsten Reißland (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2263-3875)
- Sachinkumar Bavikatti Mallikarjun (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9796-7880)
- Christian Wietfeld (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7653-2589)
- Maximilian Lübke (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6527-8925)
- Philipp Schulz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0738-556X)
- Giang T. Nguyen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7008-1537)
- Arne Bröring (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1181-3897)
- Afsaneh Gharouni (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9484-7995)
- Admela Jukan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4434-6340)
- Armin Dekorsy (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5790-1470)
- Jochen Fink (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4939-6758)
- Sławomir Stańczak (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3829-4668)
- Jiajing Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5222-372X)
- Vedhas Pandit (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1983-8140)
- Mohammad Parvini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1315-7635)
- Renato L. G. Cavalcante (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8826-7580)
- Philipp Reitz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4547-6050)
- Marco Danger
- Ralf Irmer
- Faizan Rauf
- Reem Karaki
- Zahra Seifaei
- Borislava Gajic
Institutions
- Ericsson (Sweden) (SE)
- Siemens (Germany) (DE)
- University of Kaiserslautern (DE)
- University of Bremen (DE)
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (DE)
- TU Dortmund University (DE)
- Vodafone (Germany) (DE)
- Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich Hertz Institute (DE)
- Center for Advancing Health (US)
- Ericsson (Germany) (DE)
- Bochumer Institut für Technologie (Germany) (DE)
- Nokia (Germany) (DE)
- Technische Universität Berlin (DE)
- University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern (DE)
- Vodafone (United Kingdom) (GB)
- Technische Universität Dresden (DE)
- Technische Universität Braunschweig (DE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- IEEE Access
- Published
- 2025-01-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2025.3595752
- Citations
- 3
- Primary Topic
- Advanced Wireless Communication Technologies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 2.19
Funders
- Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung