SK Telecom与KT入选韩国Hyper-AI Network示范项目执行机构

SK Telecom and KT have begun building next-generation networks to implement physical artificial intelligence (AI) at industrial sites such as shipyards and petrochemical plants. AI-based communication infrastructure is essential for robots to operate smoothly at high-risk sites without errors or transmission delays.
SKT and KT announced on the 14th that they had been selected as executing organizations for the "Hyper AI Network Foundation Development" demonstration project overseen by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Information Society Agency (NIA), and would build a "Hyper-AI Network" pilot network.
The Hyper-AI Network is a next-generation network that combines fifth-generation mobile communication standalone mode (5G SA) and AI-based radio access networks (AI-RAN) to provide ultra-low-latency, high-capacity communication. The core of the project is to create an environment where multiple robots can operate reliably at industrial sites based on this network.
When a robot must independently perform all of the on-site video recording, analysis, and decision-making, the computational burden becomes very large and the device price rises, making commercialization difficult. For this reason, the plan is to have the network infrastructure share the AI computation and support real-time data analysis and control, thereby improving both performance and efficiency.
SKT plans to simultaneously build and demonstrate AI-RAN equipment from four manufacturers — Samsung Electronics, HFR, Ericsson, and Nokia — and then verify the structure most suitable for physical AI services. KT takes on the role of building and verifying an AI-based autonomous operation network, and plans to develop an "AI Core Orchestrator" in which AI analyzes network data in real time and responds to failures.
The two carriers will also work with demand companies in manufacturing, shipbuilding, and other sectors to develop and demonstrate physical AI services tailored to each industrial site.
SKT will demonstrate three physical AI services — a quadruped patrol robot, a humanoid low-power mode, and unmanned autonomous transport services — at the SK Incheon Petrochemical and KG Mobility plant sites. Through this, it will implement real-time analysis and response for hazardous areas within factories, as well as remote driving services based on digital twins. The humanoid low-power mode aims to improve battery usage efficiency by distributing the robot's AI computation to base stations.
KT will work with HD Hyundai Samho to develop an "AI-based autonomous system" that can analyze and control shipyard robot and equipment data in real time. Specifically, it will demonstrate three physical AI services in total — an AI welding robot, an AI painting robot, and an autonomous operation robot for communication facilities — to verify the effects of improving safety and productivity at high-risk industrial sites.
SKT and KT plan to link the technology secured through this project with their own AX strategies to make it a next-generation growth engine. KT said, "Based on our AI-based autonomous operation network technology and physical AI demonstration experience, we plan to expand our B2B AX business into various industries such as manufacturing, logistics, and energy." SKT also said, "We plan to further advance the AI-RAN pilot network going forward and link it with SK Group's AI data center infrastructure strategy."