A controller device sends predictions from a machine learning module to source endpoints. The controller receives flow information and network information from a network elements in a network. The flow information is associated with source routed data flows that traverse the network in source routed network paths. The network information is associated with network characteristics of each of the network elements included in at least one of the source routed network paths. The controller analyzes the flow information and the network information with machine learning to generate a prediction of at least one metric of source routing behavior within the network. The controller sends the prediction of the at least one metric to one or more source endpoints to optimize the source routed network paths used by future source routed data flows originating from the one or more source endpoints.