Samsung joins global alliance to develop AI-powered 6G technology

Visitors come to sample Samsung Electronics' latest smart devices at the Galaxy Experience Space at Plaza de Catalunya, Barcelona, Sunday, a day before the Mobile World Congress (MWC) tech show starts there. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics By Baek Byung-yeul Samsung Electronics is joining a global alliance aimed at spearheading the technology development and ecosystem expansion of the sixth-generation (6G) network powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that will not only supersede 5G cellular technology, but also promises higher capacity and fewer delays, the company said Monday. Seen is the logo of the AI-RAN Alliance, a group of leading global companies working on 6G network technology, which Samsung Electronics is joining as a founding member. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics Samsung said it will participate as a founding member of the AI-RAN Alliance, which aims to research 6G technology and create an ecosystem through the convergence of AI and wireless communication technology. RAN stands for radio access network, which is a type of infrastructure for mobile networks. The founding members include 10 telecommunication and software companies and one university, including Samsung Electronics, Nvidia, Arm, SoftBank, Ericsson, Nokia, Microsoft and Northeastern University. The Korean electronics giant announced that the AI-RAN Alliance was officially launched at the Mobile World Congress (MWC), a tech show being held in Barcelona, Spain from Monday (local time). "Samsung Electronics plans to lead the research and ecosystem of 6G by applying AI to wireless communication technology to lead service innovation and enhance network efficiency by participating in this alliance," the company said. The alliance plans to research the technology through three distinct working groups: AI for RAN, AI and RAN, and AI on RAN. The AI for RAN group is dedicated to researching optimization technology for wireless communication. Leveraging AI and machine learning, this group aims to improve frequency, cost, and energy efficiency. In contrast, the AI and RAN group focuses on the convergence of AI and wireless network technology. Its goal is to facilitate efficient resource management and maximize infrastructure utilization. Lastly, the AI on RAN working group is tasked with developing innovative AI applications and services within wireless networks. Its efforts are aimed at fostering technological advancements and promoting research in this domain. The results of research, such as technical reports and white papers from these activities, are expected to contribute significantly to the discovery of new services, technical requirements, standards and commercialization of 6G network services, Samsung Electronics added. "We expect to create new changes centered on AI and 6G networks, innovate the way people interact with technology and create new value," Charlie Zhang, senior vice president and head of the standards and mobility innovation team at Samsung Research America, said. In preparation for 6G, Samsung established a next-generation communication research center under Samsung Research in 2019. It published a 6G white paper in 2020 and a 6G frequency white paper in 2022. Furthermore, Samsung said it has been playing a leading role in the research, development and cultivation of the ecosystem to strengthen competitiveness in the 6G network service market, such as hosting the first Samsung 6G Forum in May 2022.