mlsanityData to 7 Oct 2026

Intelligence and Learning in O-RAN for Data-driven NextG Cellular Networks

arXiv 2012.01263 ↗First posted 2 Dec 2020cs.NI cs.LGcited by 45

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Abstract (arXiv)

Next Generation (NextG) cellular networks will be natively cloud-based and built upon programmable, virtualized, and disaggregated architectures. The separation of control functions from the hardware fabric and the introduction of standardized control interfaces will enable the definition of custom closed-control loops, which will ultimately enable embedded intelligence and real-time analytics, thus effectively realizing the vision of autonomous and self-optimizing networks. This article explores the disaggregated network architecture proposed by the O-RAN Alliance as a key enabler of NextG networks. Within this architectural context, we discuss the potential, the challenges, and the limitations of data-driven optimization approaches to network control over different timescales. We also present the first large-scale integration of O-RAN-compliant software components with an open-source full-stack softwarized cellular network. Experiments conducted on Colosseum, the world's largest wireless network emulator, demonstrate closed-loop integration of real-time analytics and control through deep reinforcement learning agents. We also show the feasibility of Radio Access Network (RAN) control through xApps running on the near real-time RAN Intelligent Controller, to optimize the scheduling policies of co-existing network slices, leveraging the O-RAN open interfaces to collect data at the edge of the network.

Key facts. Cited by 45 papers in the map (data through 7 Oct 2026). First posted on arXiv 2 Dec 2020.

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Cited by year (2026 to 7 Oct)

Citing papers per year: 2021: 4; 2022: 14; 2023: 8; 2024: 5; 2025: 8; 2026: 6.

45 papers.

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  1. 2021ColO-RAN: Developing Machine Learning-based xApps for Open RAN Closed-loop Control on Programmable Experimental Platformscited by 33
  2. 2021RLOps: Development Life-cycle of Reinforcement Learning Aided Open RANcited by 15
  3. 2025AI-RAN: Transforming RAN with AI-driven Computing Infrastructurecited by 14
  4. 2022State-Augmented Learnable Algorithms for Resource Management in Wireless Networkscited by 13
  5. 2021Colosseum: Large-Scale Wireless Experimentation Through Hardware-in-the-Loop Network Emulationcited by 11
  6. 2022Evolutionary Deep Reinforcement Learning for Dynamic Slice Management in O-RANcited by 11
  7. 2022Programmable and Customized Intelligence for Traffic Steering in 5G Networks Using Open RAN Architecturescited by 11
  8. 2025Conformal Calibration: Ensuring the Reliability of Black-Box AI in Wireless Systemscited by 10
  9. 2022OrchestRAN: Network Automation through Orchestrated Intelligence in the Open RANcited by 9
  10. 2022OpenRAN Gym: AI/ML Development, Data Collection, and Testing for O-RAN on PAWR Platformscited by 5
  11. 2022Actor-Critic Network for O-RAN Resource Allocation: xApp Design, Deployment, and Analysiscited by 5
  12. 2023Safe and Accelerated Deep Reinforcement Learning-based O-RAN Slicing: A Hybrid Transfer Learning Approachcited by 5
33 more
  1. 2025O-RAN Xapps Conflict Prediction Using Graph Convolutional Networkscited by 5
  2. 2022Reinforcement Learning Based Resource Allocation for Network Slices in O-RAN Midhaulcited by 4
  3. 2024Fair Resource Allocation in Virtualized O-RAN Platformscited by 4
  4. 2022Sim2real for Reinforcement Learning Driven Next Generation Networkscited by 3
  5. 2023Network-Aided Intelligent Traffic Steering in 6G O-RAN: A Multi-Layer Optimization Frameworkcited by 3
  6. 2024xApp Distillation: AI-based Conflict Mitigation in B5G O-RANcited by 3
  7. 2025Near-Real-Time Resource Slicing for QoS Optimization in 5G O-RAN using Deep Reinforcement Learningcited by 3
  8. 2021Bayesian Active Meta-Learning for Few Pilot Demodulation and Equalizationcited by 2
  9. 2022IoT-Aerial Base Station Task Offloading with Risk-Sensitive Reinforcement Learning for Smart Agriculturecited by 2
  10. 2023Beam Management Driven by Radio Environment Maps in O-RAN Architecturecited by 2
  11. 2023Intelligent Load Balancing and Resource Allocation in O-RAN: A Multi-Agent Multi-Armed Bandit Approachcited by 2
  12. 2023How Does Forecasting Affect the Convergence of DRL Techniques in O-RAN Slicing?cited by 2
  13. 2024AutoSpec: Automated Generation of Neural Network Specificationscited by 2
  14. 2022Zero-Touch Network on Industrial IoT: An End-to-End Machine Learning Approachcited by 1
  15. 2022Using Deep Reinforcement Learning for mmWave Real-Time Schedulingcited by 1
  16. 2023Intelligent O-RAN Traffic Steering for URLLC Through Deep Reinforcement Learningcited by 1
  17. 2024Generative AI for O-RAN Slicing: A Semi-Supervised Approach with VAE and Contrastive Learningcited by 1
  18. 2025SafeSlice: Enabling SLA-Compliant O-RAN Slicing via Safe Deep Reinforcement Learningcited by 1
  19. 2025AIRMap: AI-Generated Radio Maps for Wireless Digital Twinscited by 1
  20. 2026AI-Native Closed-Loop Security for 6G-Enabled Cyber-Physical Systems: From Edge Detection to Network-Wide Mitigationcited by 1
  21. 2026Confounding-Valid Conformal Inference for Counterfactual KPIs in Wireless Networkscited by 1
  22. 2022Choose, not Hoard: Information-to-Model Matching for Artificial Intelligence in O-RANcited by 0
  23. 2022FORLORN: A Framework for Comparing Offline Methods and Reinforcement Learning for Optimization of RAN Parameterscited by 0
  24. 2022A State-Augmented Approach for Learning Optimal Resource Management Decisions in Wireless Networkscited by 0
  25. 2023Sparsity-Aware Intelligent Massive Random Access Control in Open RAN: A Reinforcement Learning Based Approachcited by 0
  26. 2023A Bayesian Framework of Deep Reinforcement Learning for Joint O-RAN/MEC Orchestrationcited by 0
  27. 2024Deep-Learned Compression for Radio-Frequency Signal Classificationcited by 0
  28. 2025Percentile-Based Deep Reinforcement Learning and Reward Based Personalization For Delay Aware RAN Slicing in O-RANcited by 0
  29. 2025Communication and Computation Efficient Split Federated Learning in O-RANcited by 0
  30. 2026Asynchronous MultiAgent Reinforcement Learning for 5G Routing under Side Constraintscited by 0
  31. 2026Post-Selection Distributional Model Evaluationcited by 0
  32. 2026Decision-Theoretic Safety Assessment of Persona-Driven Multi-Agent Systems in O-RANcited by 0
  33. 2026AI-Native Network Controller: A Modular Framework for Safe Agentic Control of Multi-Domain Network Infrastructurecited by 0