The following is a LinkedIn post by Alex Choi, which I am sharing on my blog as a point of reference for readers interested in this topic.
Comparing the RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) in O-RAN open RAN with OpenAI’s language model, ChatGPT, might seem unusual as they operate in quite different fields. However, certain analogies can be drawn to better understand their roles and impacts.
Think of O-RAN RIC as Telco ‘Operator AI’ much like OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
ChatGPT is a smart system developed by OpenAI that can generate text just like a human would. It can understand and process different kinds of information and then use this to give appropriate and clear responses. RIC does a similar thing – it takes in information from various network parts and then uses this to make the network run better.
Communicating with Everything
How ChatGPT and RIC Talk to the World?
Just like ChatGPT can ‘speak’ different languages, RIC can ‘talk’ to different parts of the RAN network. It uses standard interfaces like the E2, which works like a message translator, to ensure network parts from different manufacturers can work together. This gives RIC the same level of flexibility and variety that ChatGPT has in understanding language.
Making Decisions with AI
ChatGPT uses sophisticated AI to understand complicated language and give meaningful replies. In the same way, RIC uses machine learning and AI to examine loads of RAN resources. It then makes strategic decisions to improve and automate the network resource allocation, giving end-users a smooth experience just like the engaging conversation provided by ChatGPT.
Learning and Growing
Both RIC and ChatGPT have the power to learn continuously and to scale up. As ChatGPT encounters more data and different situations, it learns and refines its responses. Similarly, RIC adjusts to the changing needs of the network resource allocation, learning from patterns and improving its strategies to make the network operation better. This leads to a network that keeps improving and becoming more efficient.
Putting Users First
ChatGPT has been used in a range of applications focused on helping users, like drafting emails, writing code, creating content, and more. Similarly, RIC enables the use of xApps/rApps, which are applications made to improve network parts and settings to meet users’ specific network service experience needs.
Opening Up Innovation
Just like ChatGPT has made AI language models available to more people, RIC has made network improvement strategies more accessible. By using standard interfaces and opening up to AI and machine learning applications (xApps, rApps), RIC invites lots of developers and startups to bring their new ideas to the network. This wide range of contributors matches the wide range of applications and ongoing development of ChatGPT.
