mlsanityData to 7 Oct 2026

ML-Enabled Open RAN: A Comprehensive Survey of Architectures, Challenges, and Opportunities

arXiv 2604.01239 ↗First posted 27 Mar 2026cs.NI cs.AIcited by 4

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Abstract (arXiv)

As wireless communication systems become more advanced, Open Radio Access Networks (O-RAN) stand out as a notable framework that promotes interoperability and cost-effectiveness. An examination of the progression of RAN architectures, as well as O-RAN's underlying principles, reveals the importance of machine learning (ML) in addressing various challenges, including spectrum management, resource allocation, and security. Hence, this survey provides a comprehensive overview of the integration of ML within O-RAN, highlighting its transformative potential in enhancing network performance and efficiency. This survey aims to describe the current status of ML applications in O-RAN while indicating possible directions for future research by analyzing existing literature. The findings aim to assist researchers and stakeholders in formulating optimal service strategies and advancing the understanding of intelligent wireless networks.

Key facts. Cited by 4 papers in the map (data through 7 Oct 2026). Builds on 78 of its 288 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 27 Mar 2026.

Builds on

78 of 288 references.

References · 78

  1. 2022Understanding O-RAN: Architecture, Interfaces, Algorithms, Security, and Research Challengescited by 54
  2. 2021ColO-RAN: Developing Machine Learning-based xApps for Open RAN Closed-loop Control on Programmable Experimental Platformscited by 33
  3. 2019Deep Learning for RF Signal Classification in Unknown and Dynamic Spectrum Environmentscited by 28
  4. 2018Deep Reinforcement Learning for Resource Management in Network Slicingcited by 27
  5. 2020Federated Edge Learning : Design Issues and Challengescited by 26
  6. 2021Toward Next Generation Open Radio Access Network--What O-RAN Can and Cannot Do!cited by 18
  7. 20225G-NIDD: A Comprehensive Network Intrusion Detection Dataset Generated over 5G Wireless Networkcited by 16
  8. 2021RLOps: Development Life-cycle of Reinforcement Learning Aided Open RANcited by 15
  9. 2022Federated Deep Reinforcement Learning for Resource Allocation in O-RAN Slicingcited by 14
  10. 2022Communication and Computation O-RAN Resource Slicing for URLLC Services Using Deep Reinforcement Learningcited by 13
  11. 2022Federated Deep Reinforcement Learning for Open RAN Slicing in 6G Networkscited by 12
  12. 2023Explainable AI in 6G O-RAN: A Tutorial and Survey on Architecture, Use Cases, Challenges, and Future Researchcited by 12
38 more
  1. 2023EXPLORA: AI/ML EXPLainability for the Open RANcited by 12
  2. 2022Team Learning-Based Resource Allocation for Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN)cited by 11
  3. 2022Evolutionary Deep Reinforcement Learning for Dynamic Slice Management in O-RANcited by 11
  4. 2022Programmable and Customized Intelligence for Traffic Steering in 5G Networks Using Open RAN Architecturescited by 11
  5. 2022On the Specialization of FDRL Agents for Scalable and Distributed 6G RAN Slicing Orchestrationcited by 10
  6. 2024PACIFISTA: Conflict Evaluation and Management in Open RANcited by 10
  7. 2021Intelligent Zero Trust Architecture for 5G/6G Networks: Principles, Challenges, and the Role of Machine Learning in the context of O-RANcited by 9
  8. 2021How to Attack and Defend NextG Radio Access Network Slicing with Reinforcement Learningcited by 8
  9. 2021Self-play Learning Strategies for Resource Assignment in Open-RAN Networkscited by 8
  10. 2022Predictive Closed-Loop Service Automation in O-RAN based Network Slicingcited by 8
  11. 2023User Trajectory Prediction in Mobile Wireless Networks Using Quantum Reservoir Computingcited by 8
  12. 2023Successive Data Injection in Conditional Quantum GAN Applied to Time Series Anomaly Detectioncited by 8
  13. 2024System-level Analysis of Adversarial Attacks and Defenses on Intelligence in O-RAN based Cellular Networkscited by 8
  14. 2024Meta Reinforcement Learning Approach for Adaptive Resource Optimization in O-RANcited by 8
  15. 2022A Survey on Open Radio Access Networks: Challenges, Research Directions, and Open Source Approachescited by 7
  16. 2023Implementing and Evaluating Security in O-RAN: Interfaces, Intelligence, and Platformscited by 7
  17. 2022When Machine Learning Meets Spectrum Sharing Security: Methodologies and Challengescited by 6
  18. 2022Energy-aware Scheduling of Virtualized Base Stations in O-RAN with Online Learningcited by 6
  19. 2022Open RAN Security: Challenges and Opportunitiescited by 6
  20. 2022Actor-Critic Network for O-RAN Resource Allocation: xApp Design, Deployment, and Analysiscited by 5
  21. 2023Safe and Accelerated Deep Reinforcement Learning-based O-RAN Slicing: A Hybrid Transfer Learning Approachcited by 5
  22. 2024QuaCK-TSF: Quantum-Classical Kernelized Time Series Forecastingcited by 5
  23. 2024LatentQGAN: A Hybrid QGAN with Classical Convolutional Autoencodercited by 5
  24. 2025O-RAN Xapps Conflict Prediction Using Graph Convolutional Networkscited by 5
  25. 2025Performance Optimization of Energy-Harvesting Underlay Cognitive Radio Networks Using Reinforcement Learningcited by 5
  26. 2025Federated Learning-based MARL for Strengthening Physical-Layer Security in B5G Networkscited by 5
  27. 2022Federated Meta-Learning for Traffic Steering in O-RANcited by 4
  28. 2022Reinforcement Learning Based Resource Allocation for Network Slices in O-RAN Midhaulcited by 4
  29. 2023Bayesian Inference-assisted Machine Learning for Near Real-Time Jamming Detection and Classification in 5G New Radio (NR)cited by 4
  30. 2023Experimental Study of Adversarial Attacks on ML-based xApps in O-RANcited by 4
  31. 2024Machine Learning-based xApp for Dynamic Resource Allocation in O-RAN Networkscited by 4
  32. 2024Misconfiguration in O-RAN: Analysis of the impact of AI/MLcited by 4
  33. 2025Open RAN Slicing with Quantum Optimizationcited by 4
  34. 2025Optimizing Cognitive Networks: Reinforcement Learning Meets Energy Harvesting Over Cascaded Channelscited by 4
  35. 2022Evaluating the Security of Open Radio Access Networkscited by 3
  36. 2022Transmit Power Control for Indoor Small Cells: A Method Based on Federated Reinforcement Learningcited by 3
  37. 2023Age of Processing-Based Data Offloading for Autonomous Vehicles in Multi-RATs Open RANcited by 3
  38. 2023Federated Learning Assisted Deep Q-Learning for Joint Task Offloading and Fronthaul Segment Routing in Open RANcited by 3

50 most cited of 78 All 78 (JSON)

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Cited by year (2026 to 7 Oct)

Citing papers per year: 2026: 4.

4 papers.

  1. 2026Adversarial Attacks in AI-Driven RAN Slicing: SLA Violations and Recoverycited by 0
  2. 2026When Critics Disagree: Adaptive Reward Poisoning Attacks in RIS-Aided Wireless Control Systemcited by 0
  3. 2026Securing the Future of IoMT in the Post-Quantum Era: An Edge-Native Federated Learning Approachcited by 0
  4. 2026AI-RAN on NPUs: Baseband Processing Without Baseband Chipscited by 0