JEPA for AI-Native 6G: Predictive Representations and Open Challenges

Sixth-generation (6G) networks are moving toward AI-native operation, where learning modules are embedded across the radio access network (RAN), edge, and core. This transition requires learning from limited labels, heterogeneous wireless and network data, partial observations, non-stationary propagation, and latency-constrained control loops. Joint-embedding predictive architecture (JEPA) is a promising self-supervised paradigm for this setting because it predicts missing or future representations in latent space instead of reconstructing raw measurements or using contrastive negative samples. This article presents a wireless-oriented tutorial on JEPA for 6G intelligence. We define the JEPA training mechanism, describe how CSI, beam measurements, KPIs, topology graphs, and sensing observations can be tokenized and masked, and position the learned encoder as a predictive representation layer for RAN, O-RAN, edge, and core functions, with task-specific heads or controllers producing final decisions. Then we present an illustrative, beam-management case study suggesting that a wireless-aware target, specifically an auxiliary future beam-energy target during self-supervised pretraining, can improve label efficiency and robustness across shifted deployment conditions relative to a supervised source domain. Finally, we outline open challenges in multi-timescale prediction, action-conditioned modeling, distributed training, trustworthiness, efficient deployment, benchmarking, and standardization.