Samsung Joins Korea AI RAN Trials

Samsung Electronics has signed agreements with KT and SK Telecom to participate in artificial intelligence radio access network (AI RAN) projects under South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT “Hyper AI Network” initiative. Samsung will serve as KT’s sole global vendor and SK Telecom’s main vendor for the projects, which are scheduled to begin in October 2026.

The initiatives will deploy 5G standalone private networks at industrial sites, including shipyards and petrochemical facilities. The projects are intended to test AI RAN, physical AI and autonomous operations in real-world settings while generating insights for future network deployments and the development of 6G technologies.

At HD Hyundai Samho’s Yeongam Shipyard, KT plans to test physical AI applications including welding, painting and telecommunications-facility robots. Samsung said its Network in a Server platform and CognitiV Network Operations Suite will support a quadruped welding robot, providing edge processing and connectivity designed for low-latency, reliable robotic control.

SK Telecom will conduct trials at SK Incheon Petrochem involving autonomous patrol robots and camera-based monitoring. The robots will transmit high-definition video for real-time analysis and hazard detection. Samsung said its AI-native network platform will support the project, which is focused on improving safety and operational efficiency in petrochemical environments.