Federated Learning for 6G Networks: Navigating Privacy Benefits and Challenges

The upcoming Sixth Generation (6G) networks aim for fully automated, intelligent network functionalities and services. Therefore, Machine Learning (ML) is essential for these networks. Given stringent privacy regulations, future network architectures should use privacy-preserved ML for their applica...

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Main Authors: Chamara Sandeepa, Engin Zeydan, Tharaka Samarasinghe, Madhusanka Liyanage
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IEEE 2025-01-01
Series:IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10786352/
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author Chamara Sandeepa
Engin Zeydan
Tharaka Samarasinghe
Madhusanka Liyanage
author_facet Chamara Sandeepa
Engin Zeydan
Tharaka Samarasinghe
Madhusanka Liyanage
author_sort Chamara Sandeepa
collection DOAJ
description The upcoming Sixth Generation (6G) networks aim for fully automated, intelligent network functionalities and services. Therefore, Machine Learning (ML) is essential for these networks. Given stringent privacy regulations, future network architectures should use privacy-preserved ML for their applications and services. Federated Learning (FL) is expected to play an important role as a popular approach for distributed ML, as it protects privacy by design. However, many practical challenges exist before FL can be fully utilized as a key technology for these future networks. We consider the vision of a 6G layered architecture to evaluate the applicability of FL-based distributed intelligence. In this paper, we highlight the benefits of using FL for 6G and the main challenges and issues involved. We also discuss the existing solutions and the possible future directions that should be taken toward more robust and trustworthy FL for future networks.
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issn 2644-125X
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publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher IEEE
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series IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society
spelling doaj-art-e896a14b17624cb697e266a19a34df4e2025-08-20T02:27:49ZengIEEEIEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society2644-125X2025-01-0169012910.1109/OJCOMS.2024.351383210786352Federated Learning for 6G Networks: Navigating Privacy Benefits and ChallengesChamara Sandeepa0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3101-7097Engin Zeydan1Tharaka Samarasinghe2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5189-5743Madhusanka Liyanage3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4786-030XSchool of Computer Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, IrelandServices as Networks (SaS) Research Unit, Centre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya, Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Electronic and Telecommunication Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Moratuwa, Sri LankaSchool of Computer Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, IrelandThe upcoming Sixth Generation (6G) networks aim for fully automated, intelligent network functionalities and services. Therefore, Machine Learning (ML) is essential for these networks. Given stringent privacy regulations, future network architectures should use privacy-preserved ML for their applications and services. Federated Learning (FL) is expected to play an important role as a popular approach for distributed ML, as it protects privacy by design. However, many practical challenges exist before FL can be fully utilized as a key technology for these future networks. We consider the vision of a 6G layered architecture to evaluate the applicability of FL-based distributed intelligence. In this paper, we highlight the benefits of using FL for 6G and the main challenges and issues involved. We also discuss the existing solutions and the possible future directions that should be taken toward more robust and trustworthy FL for future networks.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10786352/Privacyfederated learning6Gbeyond 5GAIdistributed learning
spellingShingle Chamara Sandeepa
Engin Zeydan
Tharaka Samarasinghe
Madhusanka Liyanage
Federated Learning for 6G Networks: Navigating Privacy Benefits and Challenges
IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society
Privacy
federated learning
6G
beyond 5G
AI
distributed learning
title Federated Learning for 6G Networks: Navigating Privacy Benefits and Challenges
title_full Federated Learning for 6G Networks: Navigating Privacy Benefits and Challenges
title_fullStr Federated Learning for 6G Networks: Navigating Privacy Benefits and Challenges
title_full_unstemmed Federated Learning for 6G Networks: Navigating Privacy Benefits and Challenges
title_short Federated Learning for 6G Networks: Navigating Privacy Benefits and Challenges
title_sort federated learning for 6g networks navigating privacy benefits and challenges
topic Privacy
federated learning
6G
beyond 5G
AI
distributed learning
url https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10786352/
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AT enginzeydan federatedlearningfor6gnetworksnavigatingprivacybenefitsandchallenges
AT tharakasamarasinghe federatedlearningfor6gnetworksnavigatingprivacybenefitsandchallenges
AT madhusankaliyanage federatedlearningfor6gnetworksnavigatingprivacybenefitsandchallenges