The Ministry of Science and ICT is applying intelligent base stations, known as AI-RAN, to shipbuilding, petrochemicals and automotive manufacturing sites to test physical AI services.

The ministry on Wednesday visited HD Hyundai Samho's shipyard in Yeongam, in the Gwangju-Jeonnam Integrated Special City, and inspected physical AI trials based on AI-RAN being pursued under the high-performance AI network programme.

The visit was part of efforts to expand AI-RAN under the national task of building an AI highway to become one of the world's three leading AI powers, and of a strategy to become No. 1 in physical AI. The high-performance AI network programme, which the ministry has 추진 since this year, involves South Korean mobile carriers, telecom equipment makers and manufacturers. Two consortia, led by KT and SK Telecom, were selected to build high-performance AI networks at industrial sites.

AI-RAN combines AI technology and computing functions in the radio access network to run networks intelligently and use the network's computing resources for AI services. Existing on-device AI robots are constrained by computing resources and batteries. Cloud-based systems have limits in real-time response due to network delays. Using AI-RAN can support ultra-low-latency communications and AI computing needed for AI robots, the ministry said.

The KT consortium will build a high-performance AI network at welding and painting shops at HD Hyundai Samho's shipyard and test an AI welding robot and an AI painting robot. Based on AI-RAN, the AI welding robot uses a quadruped robot to recognise the work environment on its own and carry out precision welding. The AI painting robot transmits and analyses high-resolution images of the hull surface in real time to determine where to paint and performs the work through autonomous driving.

The SK Telecom consortium will build high-performance AI networks at SK Incheon Petrochemical and KG Mobility sites. It will implement a quadruped robot that patrols hazardous areas at factories and detects risky situations through AI analysis, and an autonomous transfer service that moves cars without human intervention.

Lim Jeong-gyu (임정규), director general for information security and network policy, said the role of stable networks is becoming more important as physical AI spreads. He said the ministry would continue to advance next-generation network technologies, including intelligent base stations, to build successful cases for AI networks.