Samsung and SK Telecom (SKT) are partnering to build core 6G infrastructure, betting heavily on AI radio access network (AI-RAN) technology.

The deal focuses on integrating AI directly into the network’s edge rather than just the core. To counter increasing pressure to maintain low latency as device density spikes, the partners are prioritising AI-based channel estimation, distributed multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) transmission, and AI-RAN-based schedulers.

Optimising the 6G radio layer with AI-RAN

Samsung Research and SKT’s Network Technology Office are leading the project. If 5G was about speed, the logic goes that 6G will be about managing complexity through automation.

In dense environments like automated factory floors or crowded city centres, obstacles like walls and machinery distort radio waves. Traditional networks react to these distortions; the new AI-based models aim to predict and correct them in real-time. Faster data delivery and reduced packet loss are the intended operational outcomes.

Distributed MIMO technology is the second pillar. Standard architectures usually depend on a single base station for data processing, which creates bottlenecks and single points-of-failure. By allowing multiple base stations or antennas to coordinate transmission, the system supports consistent speeds across varied geographies, from urban hubs to rural outposts.

Defining roles for 6G infrastructure research

Training industrial-grade AI models requires specific roles. Samsung Research handles the AI-RAN software and algorithmic heavy lifting – including the estimation models and schedulers – while SKT provides the data and the playground, using its nationwide network operations to set up test 6G infrastructure.

Laboratory tests often fail to replicate the noise of live networks. Access to SKT’s operational environment allows the engineers to verify the tech in actual deployment scenarios rather than controlled sandboxes.

JinGuk Jeong, Executive VP and Head of the Advanced Communications Research Center (ACRC) at Samsung Research, said: “Through field-focused collaboration with SKT, we will be able to verify the effectiveness of AI-based wireless technologies in real-world settings and secure key AI-RAN technologies at an early stage.

“We hope that continued collaboration between our companies will help pave the way for the rollout of 6G.”

Resource allocation, network efficiency, and industry standardisation

Network efficiency is the goal for the AI-RAN schedulers and core network architectures for 6G infrastructure. These systems decide the optimal timing, location, and method for data transmission. Operational costs for private networks or IoT deployments often hinge on resource allocation; the proposed tech manages high volumes of connected devices without service degradation.

Both companies are pushing these protocols within the AI-RAN Alliance. Their joint proposal for AI-based channel estimation was recently approved as an official work item, which hints at future interoperability rather than proprietary lock-in. They presented their research outcomes at the alliance’s recent all-member meeting.

Takki Yu, VP of SK Telecom Network Technology Office, commented: “The convergence of AI and wireless communications will be crucial to 6G competitiveness. Through our collaboration with Samsung Electronics, we plan to secure world-class AI-RAN-based 6G technologies and lead the global 6G ecosystem.”

Samsung established its Advanced Communications Research Center (ACRC) in 2019 and has since released whitepapers detailing its 6G spectrum vision ahead of the rollout of infrastructure. The company recently showcased demonstrations with the AI-RAN Alliance at MWC 2025 in Barcelona and hosted the Silicon Valley Future Wireless Summit in November to keep the industry aligned.

See also: GSMA: Act now to avoid spectrum crunch with 6G mobile networks

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