Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for qualifying machine learning model-based channel state information (CSI) predictions. An example method generally includes receiving, from a network entity, a channel state information (CSI) prediction model for quantized CSI, calculating CSI based on downlink reference signal measurements, generating a quantized CSI difference value based a quantization of a difference between the calculated CSI and CSI predicted based on a CSI prediction model, and reporting, to the network entity, the calculated CSI and the quantized CSI difference value.