An apparatus and method for optimizing a physical layer parameter is provided. According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes a first neural network configured to receive a transmission environment and a block error rate (BLER) and generate a value of a physical layer parameter; a second neural network configured to receive the transmission environment and the BLER and generate a signal to noise ratio (SNR) value; and a processor connected to the first neural network and the second neural network and configured to receive the transmission environment, the generated physical layer parameter, and the generated SNR, and to generate the BLER.