Future sixth-generation (6G) networks must evolve beyond high-speed data delivery to support intelligent, context-aware services. Emerging applications such as autonomous transportation, immersive extended reality, and large-scale sensing require networks capable of interpreting context, anticipating system dynamics, and coordinating resources according to application objectives rather than relying solely on packet-level metrics. This article introduces Kraken, a knowledge-centric architectural vision for enabling collective intelligence in 6G networks. Kraken integrates three complementary capabilities: semantic communication, which prioritizes the transmission of task-relevant information; generative reasoning, which enables predictive modeling of network and application dynamics; and goal-oriented optimization, which aligns resource allocation with application-level outcomes. These capabilities are organized within a three-plane architecture consisting of an Infrastructure Plane, an Agent Plane, and a Knowledge Plane. Together, these planes enable distributed network entities to perceive context, reason about future states, and coordinate actions through shared semantic representations. The architecture leverages emerging technologies such as O-RAN, network digital twins, and scalable MLOps pipelines, providing a practical evolutionary path from current 5G systems toward knowledge-centric 6G infrastructures. Three representative scenarios illustrate how Kraken improves efficiency and responsiveness in autonomous mobility, immersive XR services, and infrastructure monitoring. The article also outlines key research challenges and discusses the transition from today's data-centric networks toward knowledge-centric collective intelligence in future 6G systems.
翻译:未来的第六代(6G)网络必须超越高速数据传输,演进为支持智能、情境感知的服务。自动驾驶、沉浸式扩展现实和大规模传感等新兴应用要求网络能够解读情境、预测系统动态,并根据应用目标协调资源,而非仅仅依赖数据包级指标。本文提出Kraken,一种以知识为中心的架构愿景,旨在实现6G网络中的集体智能。Kraken整合了三种互补能力:语义通信(优先传输任务相关信息)、生成式推理(实现对网络与应用动态的预测建模)以及目标导向优化(使资源分配与应用层目标对齐)。这些能力被组织在一个由基础设施平面、智能体平面和知识平面构成的三平面架构中。这些平面共同使分布式网络实体能够通过共享语义表征感知情境、推理未来状态并协调行动。该架构利用了O-RAN、网络数字孪生和可扩展的MLOps流水线等新兴技术,为从当前5G系统向以知识为中心的6G基础设施演进提供了切实可行的路径。三个代表性场景展示了Kraken如何在自动驾驶、沉浸式XR服务和基础设施监控中提升效率与响应能力。本文还概述了关键研究挑战,并讨论了从当前以数据为中心的网络向未来6G系统中以知识为中心的集体智能的过渡。