SK Telecom与KT入选韩国Hyper AI Network试点并获得172.06亿韩元两年投资

SK Telecom (017670.KS) and KT (030200.KS) will build an "AI-RAN (AI-based radio access network) pilot network," a core element of the "artificial intelligence (AI) highway" national initiative, and pursue the development and testing of services converged with physical AI.
The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) and the National Information Society Agency (NIA) announced on the 14th that SKT and KT were selected as the executing organizations for the "Hyper AI Network Foundation" pilot project. A total of 17.206 billion won will be invested in the two consortiums over two years.
The "Hyper AI Network" is a next-generation network that applies AI to telecommunications networks to provide the ultra-low-latency, high-capacity communications needed for physical AI services. The key is for the network to share the computation load of physical AI, reducing the burden on devices while improving performance and efficiency. This will enable physical AI services such as welding, painting, and patrol robots to make agile, real-time judgments and movements at industrial sites.
In this process, KT will build an AI-based autonomous operation network and verify a communications environment in which multiple robots can operate stably at industrial sites. SKT plans to apply 5G SA-specific technologies such as AI-RAN and network slicing, along with an integrated management system (SMO) and AI-based autonomation technologies to the pilot network, quantitatively verifying performance improvement effects.
SKT to Build, Test Pilot Network with Equipment from Four Firms Including Samsung Electronics, HFR, Ericsson, Nokia
In this project, SKT will simultaneously develop, build, and test AI-RAN equipment from four manufacturers: Samsung Electronics, HFR, Ericsson, and Nokia.
SKT will also apply various computing resources such as CPUs and GPUs to compare performance in the same environment, and will operate the AI server and data transfer device (UPF) in various configurations to verify the structure best suited for physical AI services.
KT to Test Three Types of Shipyard Physical AI with Samsung Electronics, HD Hyundai Samho
KT was tasked with establishing an AI-based autonomous operation network and verifying a communications environment in which multiple robots can operate stably at industrial sites such as shipyards.
In particular, as the foundation of the autonomous operation network, KT will develop an "AI Core Orchestrator" in which AI analyzes network data in real time and addresses failures. To this end, KT plans to link the "Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF)" with AI to train it on the communication patterns and performance data of the core network.
In cooperation with HD Hyundai Samho, KT will also develop an "AI-based autonomous system" specialized for shipyards. Based on the ultra-low-latency communications environment of the Hyper AI Network, AI will be able to analyze and control shipyard robot and equipment data in real time. Specifically, KT plans to test a total of three types of physical AI services—an AI welding robot, an AI painting robot, and an autonomous operation robot for communications facilities—to verify the effects of improving safety and productivity at high-risk industrial sites.
In addition, KT will pursue a "K-telecommunications ecosystem revitalization" task. KT will build a testbed for verifying domestic equipment at its KT Research and Development Center in Umyeon-dong to develop base station power reduction technology and low-power 5G (RedCap) technology, and will support the overseas expansion of the domestic telecommunications ecosystem and companies.
Three Types of Physical AI Services Tested: Patrol Robots, Humanoids, Autonomous Transport
SKT will also test three types of physical AI services based on the AI-RAN pilot network: patrol robots, humanoids, and unmanned autonomous transport services. Through this, SKT plans to quantitatively verify high-capacity uplink transmission, ultra-low latency, distributed computation, mobility, and reliability.
The quadruped patrol robot will be tasked with transmitting high-definition video in real time without interruption while patrolling hazardous areas within a factory. AI-RAN will analyze this video with an AI model to provide a service that performs everything from hazard detection to integrated control.
The unmanned autonomous transport service gathers LiDAR sensor data installed in on-site infrastructure to the AI-RAN base station via ultra-low-latency, high-reliability communications. The base station centrally processes this data, composes a digital twin that reproduces the site as-is, and then issues remote driving commands to vehicles. The goal is to automate factory logistics, thereby improving efficiency and lowering operating costs.
The humanoid low-power mode is a service that distributes the robot's complex AI computations to the AI-RAN base station, reducing the device's computation burden and battery consumption. This addresses the problem of short device battery life and enables similar performance to be achieved even with cheaper robots.
In the first year of the project, SKT will build AI-RAN pilot networks in Incheon and Pangyo and test two types of physical AI services. At SK Incheon Petrochem in Incheon, SKT plans to verify an industrial safety control service using quadruped patrol robots and mobile CCTV, while at the Pangyo Physical AI Living Lab, it will verify an unmanned autonomous transport service.
In the second year, the testing will expand to actual industrial sites. The industrial safety control service in Incheon will be advanced, and the unmanned autonomous transport service verified in Pangyo will be applied to KG Mobility's Pyeongtaek plant. Alongside this, SKT will also verify AI-based network autonomous control and low-latency, high-reliability communications technology.
AI-RAN Project Linked to Operators' Next-Generation Growth Engines
KT and SKT plan to link the technology secured through this project with their respective AX strategies.
Lee Jong-sik, executive vice president and head of KT's Future Network Lab, stressed, "Based on our top-tier network operation capabilities in Korea, we will discover core technologies for the 6G era," adding, "We will lead the expansion of the Hyper AI ecosystem and contribute to enhancing the competitiveness of the national telecommunications equipment industry." KT plans to expand into various industries such as manufacturing, logistics, and energy to support companies' AX transformation.
SKT also announced that it will link the AI-RAN pilot network with SK Group's AI data center infrastructure strategy going forward. Ryu Tak-gi, head of SKT's network technology, said, "As the only Korean member of the AI-RAN Alliance board of directors, we will test various AI-RAN pilot networks and physical AI services based on the capabilities we have accumulated." He added, "While advancing AI-RAN technology, we will raise both the self-reliance and global competitiveness of the domestic ecosystem through win-win cooperation among large, mid-sized, and small companies."