  Future integrated terrestrial-aerial-satellite networks will have to exhibit
some unprecedented characteristics for the provision of both communications and
computation services, and security for a tremendous number of devices with very
broad and demanding requirements across multiple networks, operators, and
ecosystems. Although 3GPP introduced the concept of self-organization networks
(SONs) in 4G and 5G documents to automate network management, even this
progressive concept will face several challenges as it may not be sufficiently
agile in coping with the immense levels of complexity, heterogeneity, and
mobility in the envisioned beyond-5G integrated networks. In the presented
vision, we discuss how future integrated networks can be intelligently and
autonomously managed to efficiently utilize resources, reduce operational
costs, and achieve the targeted Quality of Experience (QoE). We introduce the
novel concept of "self-evolving networks (SENs)" framework, which utilizes
artificial intelligence, enabled by machine learning (ML) algorithms, to make
future integrated networks fully automated and intelligently evolve with
respect to the provision, adaptation, optimization, and management aspects of
networking, communications, computation, and infrastructure nodes' mobility. To
envisage the concept of SEN in future integrated networks, we use the
Intelligent Vertical Heterogeneous Network (I-VHetNet) architecture as our
reference. The paper discusses five prominent scenarios where SEN plays the
main role in providing automated network management. Numerical results provide
an insight on how the SEN framework improves the performance of future
integrated networks. The paper presents the leading enablers and examines the
challenges associated with the application of SEN concept in future integrated
networks.
