Machine Learning in Near-Field Communication for 6G: A Survey

6G wireless communication networks are expected to use extremely large-scale antenna arrays (ELAAs) to support higher throughput, massive connectivity, and improved system performance. ELAAs would fundamentally alter wave characteristics, transforming them from plane waves into spherical waves, thereby operating in the near field. Near-field communications (NFC) offer unique advantages to enhance system performance, but also present significant challenges in channel modeling, computational complexity, and beamforming design. The use of machine learning (ML) is emerging as a powerful approach to tackle such challenges and has the capabilities to enable intelligent, secure, and efficient 6G wireless communications. In this survey, we discuss ML-driven approaches for NFC. We first outline the fundamental concepts of NFC and ML. We then discuss ML applications in channel estimation, beamforming design, and security enhancement. We also highlight key challenges (e.g., data privacy and computational overhead). Finally, we discuss open issues and future directions to emphasize the role of advanced ML techniques in near-field system design.