AI-Driven Self-Organizing Networks (SON) for 5G OPEX Reduction: A Comprehensive Survey and Conceptual Framework

This paper investigates the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Self-Organizing Networks (SON) for 5G networks, focusing on coverage enhancement and reduction of Operational Expenditures (OPEX). A conceptual AI-Self Organizing Networks (SON) framework integrated with O RAN architecture is proposed, and an illustrative Python-based simulation is conducted to demonstrate potential trends in coverage probability, energy consumption, and estimated OPEX savings. The simulation results indicate that AI-SON can achieve near-optimal coverage (coverage probability 0.9985) while reducing energy usage and maintenance costs, with an estimated OPEX reduction of 2030% compared to baseline strategies. The study clarifies that the simulation is illustrative and not experimentally validated, providing a foundation for future rigorous evaluations.