[E-Daily Reporter Yun Junghoon ]KTCorporation(030200)is building next-generation network infrastructure at HD HYUNDAI Samho Shipyard and is set to begin full-scale field testing of “Physical AI,” which integrates robots and AI.

KTCorporation announced on the 10th that it discussed plans for applying Physical AI robots at the HD HYUNDAI Samho Shipyard in Yeongam, Jeollanam-do, where an on-site inspection for the Ministry of Science and ICT’s “High-Performance AI Network Infrastructure Development Project” was conducted.

This project, led by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Information Society Agency (NIA), aims to verify the feasibility of applying AI networks in industrial settings. KTCorporation was selected as a preferred bidder last July alongside the Korea Institute of Science and Technology ( SamsungElectronics(005930)) and HD HYUNDAI Samho.

The “High-Performance AI Network” proposed by KTCorporation is a next-generation infrastructure that uses AI to intelligentize communication networks while simultaneously providing the communication and AI computing environments necessary to operate physical AI services. KTCorporation plans to deploy this infrastructure at the HD HYUNDAI Samho Shipyard to validate practical industrial technologies, such as AI welding robots.

This demonstration site will feature a wide range of technologies, including △ 5G Standalone (SA) and network slicing △ GPU-based AI computing infrastructure △ AI Radio Access Network (AI-RAN) △ and autonomous network technology.

During an on-site inspection, the operational processes of existing welding robots were examined. While current operations are limited to a semi-automated approach—where humans manually transport the robots and respond to unexpected situations—the introduction of a high-performance AI network will enable full automation, allowing robots to make their own decisions and operate autonomously through real-time analysis of video and sensor data.

Through communication and computing optimization, KTCorporation plans to use “5G SA and network slicing” to ensure stable, dedicated quality of service for robot control even if data traffic within the shipyard surges dramatically. Furthermore, to achieve efficient distributed computing, “GPU-based AI computing infrastructure” will maximize response speeds by dividing processing tasks: controls requiring rapid decision-making will be handled by on-site servers, while large-scale analysis and learning will be processed at data centers. “AI-RAN” and “autonomous networks” will allocate communication and computing resources in real time according to work conditions and autonomously detect and recover from traffic congestion or abnormal situations.

Lee Jong-sik, Executive Vice President of the Future Network Lab at KTCorporation’s Network Division, stated, “A high-performance AI network is more than just a network that connects AI; it is an execution platform that supports AI’s perception, decision-making, and actions in real time.” He added, “Through this pilot project with HD HYUNDAI Samho, we will validate the technical capabilities of a high-performance AI network that integrates AI-RAN, AI computing infrastructure, and autonomous networks, and contribute to the implementation of AI infrastructure that enhances productivity and safety in industrial settings.”