AI is helping ease competition for scarce space on the airwaves

An electrical engineer explains dynamic spectrum sharing, a growing approach that lets multiple users share the same radio frequencies instead of one user holding exclusive rights forever. Studies have found large stretches of licensed spectrum sit idle much of the time, even as demand from smartphones and streaming keeps climbing.

The piece describes the FCC's Citizens Broadband Radio Service as a working example, where a central Spectrum Access System tracks Navy radar use and lets others step in when the Navy isn't using a frequency, then step aside within seconds when it is. Researchers are now applying AI to manage interference in real time as more devices and even satellites compete for the same frequencies.

The full dispatch is available from the source below.