Network Control and Management Automation: Architecture Standardization Perspective

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) techniques are becoming essential to automate the control and management of complex systems, such as 5G and future networks and services, through the collection and timely processing of a large amount of control data from the system. The standardization activities of AI/ML integrated network architectures and frameworks have recently been progressing in various standards developing organizations (SDOs). This article provides a detailed survey of the AI/ML network standardization activities of the International Telecommunication Union. An overview of the related activities of other SDOs, such as the European Telecommunications Standards Institute and the 3rd Generation Partnership Project, is also provided. Finally, a set of related open issues that deserve further research and standardization are discussed.