Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence-Based Radio Access Network Slicing for 6G Networks

Future wireless applications are envisioned to embrace five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. These applications will transform human lifestyle and the city and industry to a much greater extent than what can be expected in the fifth- generation (5G) era. Furthermore, ubiquitous connectivity beyond the terrestrial domains encompassing air, space, and undersea is envisaged as fully realizable in the sixth-generation (6G) era. Driven by such emerging use-cases, technological evolutions are required for 6G wireless communications. In this chapter, radio access network (RAN) slicing is highlighted as a key enabler for 6G wireless communications that can flexibly manage base stations, network functions, network resources, bandwidth, and network configurations to cater to the diverse conditions and requirements imposed by emerging use-cases. First, key 6G driving use-cases, including 5D applications, smart cities and industries, and non-terrestrial communications, will be elucidated. Then an overview of network slicing for wireless communications will be given, emphasizing RAN slicing. Subsequently, a detailed discussion on RAN slicing for 6G networks, including its key aspects, requirements, parameters, and scenarios, will be provided. Next, several artificial intelligence (AI) technologies that can assist the complex RAN slicing process with numerous parameters and target requirements will be highlighted. After that, blockchain-based network slicing will be explored for 6G networks, followed by a case study on integrating AI and blockchain for 6G RAN slicing. Finally, concluding remarks will be provided to end the chapter. This chapter discusses the radio access network slicing is highlighted as a key enabler for 6G wireless communications that can flexibly manage base stations, network functions, network resources, bandwidth, and network configurations to cater to the diverse conditions and requirements imposed by emerging use-cases. New applications are emerging fast and will drive the next-generation wireless networks, the sixth generation. The next-generation wireless networks need to be extremely flexible to meet the requirements of the preceding applications and to be capable of supporting various applications with highly diverse requirements simultaneously without interruption to the quality of service. Realizing that 5D applications pose unprecedented challenges for the existing wireless technologies from a multitude of aspects. Supersma