mlsanityData to 7 Oct 2026

Semantic Communications: Principles and Challenges

arXiv 2201.01389 ↗First posted 30 Dec 2021cs.IT cs.LG eess.SPcited by 90

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Abstract (arXiv)

Semantic communication, regarded as the breakthrough beyond the Shannon paradigm, aims at the successful transmission of semantic information conveyed by the source rather than the accurate reception of each single symbol or bit regardless of its meaning. This article provides an overview on semantic communications. After a brief review of Shannon information theory, we discuss semantic communications with theory, framework, and system design enabled by deep learning. Different from the symbol/bit error rate used for measuring conventional communication systems, performance metrics for semantic communications are also discussed. The article concludes with several open questions in semantic communications.

Key facts. Cited by 90 papers in the map (data through 7 Oct 2026). Builds on 46 of its 85 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 30 Dec 2021.

Builds on

46 of 85 references.

References · 46

  1. 2018BERT: Pre-training of Deep Bidirectional Transformers for Language Understandingcited by 40,204
  2. 2018The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Deep Features as a Perceptual Metriccited by 11,029
  3. 2014Explaining and Harnessing Adversarial Examplescited by 7,287
  4. 2016Improved Techniques for Training GANscited by 2,938
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  7. 2014Deep Visual-Semantic Alignments for Generating Image Descriptionscited by 966
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  9. 2017Neural Motifs: Scene Graph Parsing with Global Contextcited by 413
  10. 2020Unbiased Scene Graph Generation from Biased Trainingcited by 355
  11. 2017Lossy Image Compression with Compressive Autoencoderscited by 289
  12. 2020Deep Learning Enabled Semantic Communication Systemscited by 282
34 more
  1. 2016Adversarial Training Methods for Semi-Supervised Text Classificationcited by 280
  2. 2018Generative Adversarial Networks for Extreme Learned Image Compressioncited by 213
  3. 2014Learning Fine-grained Image Similarity with Deep Rankingcited by 189
  4. 2017Real-Time Adaptive Image Compressioncited by 127
  5. 2017Visual Translation Embedding Network for Visual Relation Detectioncited by 112
  6. 20206G Networks: Beyond Shannon Towards Semantic and Goal-Oriented Communicationscited by 108
  7. 2019Text-based Editing of Talking-head Videocited by 102
  8. 2017Deceiving Google's Perspective API Built for Detecting Toxic Commentscited by 99
  9. 2019DeepJSCC-f: Deep Joint Source-Channel Coding of Images with Feedbackcited by 95
  10. 2021Semantic Communication Systems for Speech Transmissioncited by 93
  11. 2019High Fidelity Speech Synthesis with Adversarial Networkscited by 90
  12. 2017Learning Convolutional Networks for Content-weighted Image Compressioncited by 73
  13. 2021Task-Oriented Multi-User Semantic Communicationscited by 72
  14. 2020A Lite Distributed Semantic Communication System for Internet of Thingscited by 69
  15. 2018Deep Learning for Joint Source-Channel Coding of Textcited by 68
  16. 2017Learning Semantic Concepts and Order for Image and Sentence Matchingcited by 61
  17. 2020Semantics-Empowered Communication for Networked Intelligent Systemscited by 60
  18. 2020Wireless Image Retrieval at the Edgecited by 57
  19. 2020Toward a 6G AI-Native Air Interfacecited by 54
  20. 2020From Semantic Communication to Semantic-aware Networking: Model, Architecture, and Open Problemscited by 51
  21. 2021What is Semantic Communication? A View on Conveying Meaning in the Era of Machine Intelligencecited by 48
  22. 2021Task-Oriented Multi-User Semantic Communications for VQA Taskcited by 47
  23. 2021DeepWiVe: Deep-Learning-Aided Wireless Video Transmissioncited by 45
  24. 2018Deep Convolutional AutoEncoder-based Lossy Image Compressioncited by 42
  25. 2020Bandwidth-Agile Image Transmission with Deep Joint Source-Channel Codingcited by 42
  26. 2018Large-Scale Visual Relationship Understandingcited by 33
  27. 2021Deep Source-Channel Coding for Sentence Semantic Transmission with HARQcited by 29
  28. 2021Task-Oriented Image Transmission for Scene Classification in Unmanned Aerial Systemscited by 29
  29. 2021Semantics-Native Communication with Contextual Reasoningcited by 21
  30. 2021Learning Semantics: An Opportunity for Effective 6G Communicationscited by 19
  31. 2020A GAN-based Tunable Image Compression Systemcited by 14
  32. 2021Towards Goal-Oriented Semantic Signal Processing: Applications and Future Challengescited by 11
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  34. 2017Transferring a Semantic Representation for Person Re-Identification and Searchcited by 7

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Cited by year (2026 to 7 Oct)

Citing papers per year: 2022: 15; 2023: 28; 2024: 17; 2025: 16; 2026: 14.

90 papers.

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  1. 2022Beyond Transmitting Bits: Context, Semantics, and Task-Oriented Communicationscited by 166
  2. 2022Less Data, More Knowledge: Building Next Generation Semantic Communication Networkscited by 61
  3. 2023Large Language Models Empowered Autonomous Edge AI for Connected Intelligencecited by 55
  4. 2022Robust Semantic Communications with Masked VQ-VAE Enabled Codebookcited by 53
  5. 2022Wireless Deep Video Semantic Transmissioncited by 49
  6. 2023Generative Semantic Communication: Diffusion Models Beyond Bit Recoverycited by 41
  7. 2022Towards Semantic Communications: Deep Learning-Based Image Semantic Codingcited by 35
  8. 2022Task-Oriented Communications for NextG: End-to-End Deep Learning and AI Security Aspectscited by 20
  9. 2023Language-Oriented Communication with Semantic Coding and Knowledge Distillation for Text-to-Image Generationcited by 17
  10. 2022Neuromorphic Wireless Cognition: Event-Driven Semantic Communications for Remote Inferencecited by 16
  11. 2022Robust Semantic Communications Against Semantic Noisecited by 15
  12. 2023Wireless End-to-End Image Transmission System using Semantic Communicationscited by 14
38 more
  1. 2022Curriculum Learning for Goal-Oriented Semantic Communications with a Common Languagecited by 13
  2. 2022Vector Quantized Semantic Communication Systemcited by 13
  3. 2024Large Generative Model Assisted 3D Semantic Communicationcited by 12
  4. 2022Is Semantic Communications Secure? A Tale of Multi-Domain Adversarial Attackscited by 10
  5. 2022Vulnerabilities of Deep Learning-Driven Semantic Communications to Backdoor (Trojan) Attackscited by 10
  6. 2023Knowledge Base Enabled Semantic Communication: A Generative Perspectivecited by 10
  7. 2023Adaptive Resource Allocation for Semantic Communication Networkscited by 10
  8. 2024Pragmatic Communication in Multi-Agent Collaborative Perceptioncited by 10
  9. 2024Language-Oriented Semantic Latent Representation for Image Transmissioncited by 10
  10. 2023Age of Information in Deep Learning-Driven Task-Oriented Communicationscited by 9
  11. 2024Robust Image Semantic Coding with Learnable CSI Fusion Masking over MIMO Fading Channelscited by 9
  12. 2022Semantics-Empowered Communication: A Tutorial-cum-Surveycited by 8
  13. 2023Optimization of Image Transmission in a Cooperative Semantic Communication Networkscited by 8
  14. 2023Cognitive Semantic Communication Systems Driven by Knowledge Graph: Principle, Implementation, and Performance Evaluationcited by 8
  15. 2023A Wireless AI-Generated Content (AIGC) Provisioning Framework Empowered by Semantic Communicationcited by 8
  16. 2023Generative AI-aided Joint Training-free Secure Semantic Communications via Multi-modal Promptscited by 7
  17. 2024Agent-driven Generative Semantic Communication with Cross-Modality and Predictioncited by 7
  18. 2024Synchronous Multi-modal Semantic Communication System with Packet-level Codingcited by 7
  19. 2023How to Evaluate Semantic Communications for Images with ViTScore Metric?cited by 6
  20. 2024Deep Learning in Physical Layer: Review on Data Driven End-to-End Communication Systems and their Enabling Semantic Applicationscited by 6
  21. 2024Semantic Communication based on Large Language Model for Underwater Image Transmissioncited by 6
  22. 2022Learning Based Joint Coding-Modulation for Digital Semantic Communication Systemscited by 5
  23. 2023Communication-Efficient Framework for Distributed Image Semantic Wireless Transmissioncited by 5
  24. 2023Multi-Receiver Task-Oriented Communications via Multi-Task Deep Learningcited by 5
  25. 2023Diff-GO: Diffusion Goal-Oriented Communications to Achieve Ultra-High Spectrum Efficiencycited by 5
  26. 2024Integrating Pre-Trained Language Model with Physical Layer Communicationscited by 5
  27. 2023Towards Ubiquitous Semantic Metaverse: Challenges, Approaches, and Opportunitiescited by 4
  28. 2023BC4LLM: Trusted Artificial Intelligence When Blockchain Meets Large Language Modelscited by 4
  29. 2023Deep Learning-Empowered Semantic Communication Systems with a Shared Knowledge Basecited by 4
  30. 2024Distributed Mixture-of-Agents for Edge Inference with Large Language Modelscited by 4
  31. 2025Improve the Training Efficiency of DRL for Wireless Communication Resource Allocation: The Role of Generative Diffusion Modelscited by 4
  32. 2023Bayesian Inverse Contextual Reasoning for Heterogeneous Semantics-Native Communicationcited by 3
  33. 2023The Model Inversion Eavesdropping Attack in Semantic Communication Systemscited by 3
  34. 2023Semantics Alignment via Split Learning for Resilient Multi-User Semantic Communicationcited by 3
  35. 2023Joint Sensing and Task-Oriented Communications with Image and Wireless Data Modalities for Dynamic Spectrum Accesscited by 3
  36. 2024Image Generative Semantic Communication with Multi-Modal Similarity Estimation for Resource-Limited Networkscited by 3
  37. 2024Training-Free Multi-User Generative Semantic Communications via Null-Space Diffusion Samplingcited by 3
  38. 2024LMaaS: Exploring Pricing Strategy of Large Model as a Service for Communicationcited by 2

50 most cited of 90 All 90 (JSON)