AI is poised to revolutionize telecommunication networks by boosting efficiency, automation, and decision-making. However, the black-box nature of most AI models introduces substantial risk, possibly deterring adoption by network operators. These risks are not addressed by the current prevailing deployment strategy, which typically follows a best-effort train-and-deploy paradigm. This paper reviews conformal calibration, a general framework that moves beyond the state of the art by adopting computationally lightweight, advanced statistical tools that offer formal reliability guarantees without requiring further training or fine-tuning. Conformal calibration encompasses pre-deployment calibration via uncertainty quantification or hyperparameter selection; online monitoring to detect and mitigate failures in real time; and counterfactual post-deployment performance analysis to address "what if" diagnostic questions after deployment. By weaving conformal calibration into the AI model lifecycle, network operators can establish confidence in black-box AI models as a dependable enabling technology for wireless systems.
View on arXiv@article{simeone2025_2504.09310,
title={ Conformal Calibration: Ensuring the Reliability of Black-Box AI in Wireless Systems },
author={ Osvaldo Simeone and Sangwoo Park and Matteo Zecchin },
journal={arXiv preprint arXiv:2504.09310},
year={ 2025 }
}