KT and Samsung Electronics have successfully verified AI-RAN (Artificial Intelligence Radio Access Network), a next-generation communications technology, on an actual commercial network, accelerating the acquisition of key technologies that will usher in the 6G era.

KT (CEO Kim Young-seop) announced on the 11th that it had successfully verified AI-RAN technology in a commercial communications network.

This achievement is considered a significant milestone, proving that AI-based network innovation can move beyond simple research and operate effectively in real-world environments.

AI-RAN is a technology that analyzes data exchanged between base stations and terminals in real time to provide an optimized network environment for each user.

Existing communication networks applied the same settings to each cell, making it difficult to reflect the circumstances of individual users.

On the other hand, AI-RAN predicts the possibility of problems occurring based on various data such as signal strength and quality change trends, and provides customized optimization values for each user. This allows for both uninterrupted, stable connection and improved perceived quality.

KT and Samsung Electronics conducted a verification test using AI-RAN on a commercial network in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, targeting an average of approximately 18,000 users per day.

As a result, the number of disconnects that some customers were experiencing repeatedly when moving between cells was significantly reduced, and the quality was also improved for other users with similar movement patterns.

This led to improved network quality across the cell, clearly demonstrating that AI-RAN can operate effectively in real-world environments.

KT and Samsung Electronics have been conducting joint AI-RAN research since 2023, and this year, they signed a multilateral business agreement (MOU) with NVIDIA to begin full-scale research and development of GPU-based AI-RAN.

This is interpreted as a strategic move to lead the artificial intelligence network technology essential for the 6G era, which demands ultra-low latency, ultra-high speed, and ultra-connectivity.

“This is a significant achievement that clearly demonstrates that AI can improve user experience in real-world communications networks,” said Vice President Jin-Gook Jeong, head of Samsung Research’s Next-Generation Communications Research Center. “We will continue to lead AI-centric future communications technology through continuous technological advancement and verification.”

KT Future Network Research Center Director Lee Jong-sik also emphasized, “This verification is a result that proves the possibility that AI can innovate network operations to be user-centered,” and “Together with Samsung, we will advance customized optimization technology to provide stable and uninterrupted services, and take the lead in securing core 6G technologies.”

AI-RAN is considered a core technology of the 6G era, going beyond simple network optimization.

Ultra-low latency, ultra-high speed, ultra-fastAs the starting point for an intelligent network that enables 6G, this achievement is expected to be an opportunity for Korea to take a step ahead in the global 6G competition.

The collaboration between KT and Samsung Electronics is expected to play a significant role in the future commercialization of 6G.