Abstract
The four articles in this special section focus on advancements in optical communications and network technologies. In 2019, optical communications and networking technologies continue to gain momentum to facilitate innovations in various networks, including not only metro and core but also access and data center networks. Moreover, we are beginning to see the applications of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) in these networks, aiming to make them more intelligent, adaptive, and agile. Specifically, ML and AI refer to a broad range of approaches that work with statistical data models, with which computers can solve complex optimization problems without being explicitly programmed. Considering the complexity associated with managing optical communications and networking systems and the need to make it easier, we expect to see more advances in the field of applying ML and AI for managing optical networks and systems in the coming years.