The permutation entropy (PE) is a statistical indicator that allows the quantification of the complexity of a signal. Here, we show that it is able to identify and anticipate the threshold bifurcation of a complex laser, where thousands of modes compete for gain at the onset of lasing. In our experimental setup, the cavity round-trip time is several orders of magnitude longer than the temporal resolution of the detection system, which enables a high statistical sampling of the intensity dynamics per round trip. We show that the PE experiences a clear decrease far below the threshold and reaches a sharp minimum at the threshold bifurcation point, which reveals an abrupt increase of the temporal correlations. The evolution of the entropy is compared with standard quantifiers of approaching bifurcations. While lag-1 autocorrelation gradually grows as the threshold is approached, the PE shows a steep decrease that captures the emergence of nonlinear correlations and thus, it allows a clearer identification of the threshold.

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• Bifurcations
• Laser dynamics
• Critical phenomena