An Artificial Neural Network (ANN) based Optimal Feedforward Torque Control (OFTC) strategy for electrically excited synchronous machines (EESMs) is proposed. After design, data set creation, training and validation of the ANN, the analytical computation of the optimal stator and exciter currents is achieved which allows to minimize copper and iron losses and to produce the desired (or maximally feasible) machine torque. Voltage and currents constraints of stator and exciter are considered as well. In contrast to conventional OFTC, the proposed ANN-based OFTC strategy does not require iterations nor a decision tree to find the optimal current triple while machine nonlinearities, magnetic cross-coupling, saturation and speed-dependent iron losses are taken into account. In addition, the proposed ANN design procedure allows to consider measurable OFTC goals and computational resources that ensures a real-time capable implementation. Comprehensive simulation results for a real and nonlinear EESM clearly show these benefits by comparing the proposed ANN-based OFTC with results of a nonlinear optimization problem (NLP) solver (which cannot be used in real-time).