ABSTRACT The millimetre-wave (mmWave) communication satisfies the demand for high data rates due to the characteristic of wide bandwidth. Using massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology, a significant propagation loss of mmWave communication is effectively compensated. However, it is challenging to provide a specialised radio frequency chain for each antenna due to the constrained physical area with closely spaced antennas and prohibitive power consumption in mmWave massive MIMO systems. This paper presents novel approaches for effective channel estimation and hybrid precoding in mmWave communication systems. To address the challenges of channel estimation, a convolutional neural network (CNN) is utilised, and network parameters are optimised using enhanced whale optimization algorithm (EWOA). The proposed CNN-based channel estimation method aims to accurately estimate the channel in mmWave systems with enhanced efficiency and reduced complexity. By training CNN using EWOA optimisation algorithm, the network parameters are fine-tuned to improve accuracy and generalisation capability of channel estimation process. Furthermore, hybrid precoding is achieved using adaptive radial-basis function neural networks (adaptive RBFNNs) which enables efficient precoding while minimising complexity. Moreover, the adaptive RBFNN approach determines the optimal precoding weights based on channel state information, resulting in a improved performance and a reduced computational overhead. The performance analysis is validated using the MATLAB/Simulink software and offers to provide effectual and reliable mmWave communication systems, facilitating the realisation of high-speed and high-capacity wireless networks.