Samsung is accelerating its push into AI-powered radio access networks with the establishment of a dedicated AI-RAN Lab, positioning itself at the center of the 6G revolution. In an exclusive interview, Charlie Zhang, Senior VP of Samsung's 6G Research Team, reveals how the company is embedding artificial intelligence directly into base stations to create networks that learn, predict, and optimize autonomously - a fundamental shift that could redefine telecommunications infrastructure.
Samsung just threw down the gauntlet in the 6G wars. The Korean tech giant has established a dedicated AI-RAN Lab and revealed how it's embedding artificial intelligence directly into the core of next-generation networks, potentially reshaping the entire telecommunications landscape. Charlie Zhang, Senior Vice President of Samsung's 6G Research Team, told Samsung Newsroom that the company is taking a fundamentally different approach to network architecture - one where base stations think for themselves. "AI is not only a core technology of 5G but is also expected to be the cornerstone of 6G," Zhang emphasized in the wide-ranging interview. "Deeply embedding AI from the initial design stage to create autonomous and intelligent networks is exactly what we mean by 'AI-Native.'" The timing couldn't be more critical. While competitors focus on incremental 5G improvements, Samsung is betting big on AI-powered Radio Access Networks (AI-RAN) - technology that transforms traditional base stations into intelligent nodes capable of predicting user behavior, optimizing signal paths in real-time, and managing complex operations without human intervention. Traditional telecom infrastructure has hit a wall. Legacy RAN systems, built on dedicated hardware, are struggling under surging data demands while burning through energy and requiring massive manual oversight. Samsung's virtualized RAN (vRAN) already addresses some of these issues by moving network functions to software, but AI-RAN represents the next evolutionary leap. "For instance, the system can predict a user's movement path or radio environment in advance to determine the best transmission method," Zhang explained to Samsung's newsroom team. "By analyzing usage patterns, AI-RAN can allocate tailored network resources and deliver more personalized user experiences." The company isn't just talking theory. At Mobile World Congress 2025, Samsung demonstrated AI-RAN's ability to improve resource utilization even in noisy, interference-heavy environments - the kind of real-world conditions that often cripple traditional networks. The proof-of-concept showed AI-based channel estimation accurately predicting dynamic characteristics corrupted by noise and interference, leading to measurably better performance. Behind Samsung's confidence lies its position in the AI-RAN Alliance, where the company serves as vice chair of the board and chairs the AI-on-RAN Working Group. This isn't just participation - it's leadership in setting the global standards that will define 6G networks. "Samsung's involvement accelerates AI‑RAN adoption by bridging technology gaps, promoting open innovation and ensuring that advances in AI‑driven networks are both commercially viable and technically sound," Zhang noted. The strategic implications extend far beyond technical specifications. Samsung has been conducting 6G research since 2020, publishing its comprehensive "" white paper in February 2025. The document outlines four key directions: AI-Native networks, sustainable operations, ubiquitous coverage, and secure resilient infrastructure. What's particularly striking is Samsung's focus on user experience over raw performance metrics. "End users now prioritize reliable connectivity and longer battery life over data rates and latency," Zhang revealed. This represents a fundamental shift in how the industry thinks about network performance - moving from engineering-centric metrics to human-centered design. Samsung's integrated approach develops RAN hardware and AI software in parallel, enabling optimization across the entire network stack. The company's deep expertise in communications technology, combined with partnerships across global telecom operators and standards bodies, positions it to accelerate industry adoption of its research. The newly established AI-RAN Lab serves as Samsung's proving ground, accelerating prototyping and testing while shortening R&D cycles. Research areas include radio frequency optimization, antenna design, ultra-massive MIMO systems, and security - all critical components for transforming 6G from concept to commercial reality. But Samsung faces stiff competition. , , and Chinese manufacturers like Huawei are all racing toward similar goals. The difference may lie in Samsung's end-to-end approach and its willingness to bet heavily on AI integration from the ground up rather than retrofitting existing systems. The company's strategy appears to be paying dividends. Samsung has already mass-deployed its vRAN systems in the U.S. and globally, providing a foundation for the AI-RAN evolution. This existing infrastructure gives Samsung a significant head start in the race to commercialize intelligent networks. Zhang's comments suggest Samsung sees AI-RAN as more than just an incremental improvement - it's positioning the technology as a "breakthrough and engine for 6G." Real-time optimization capabilities promise to boost performance while reducing energy consumption, addressing both operational efficiency and sustainability concerns that will define next-generation networks.
