In the latest Samsung newsroom announcement, Samsung Electronics and SoftBank Corp. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for joint research into next-generation communications technologies.
Both mega-cap companies look to drive future innovation with this collaboration. According to the report, Samsung and Softbank’s advanced technological expertise and network deployment capabilities will be leveraged to identify new use cases and jointly develop core technologies.
The collaboration categorizes next-generation communications technologies into four candidate areas: 6G, AI for RAN, AI and RAN, and Large Telecom Model (LTM).
“Through this collaboration with SoftBank, we aim to define meaningful use cases for both operators and end users, while securing key technologies for future commercialization,” said JinGuk Jeong, Executive Vice President and Head of Advanced Communications Research Center (ACRC) at Samsung Research. “Building on our advanced expertise in AI-RAN and 6G, Samsung will continue to lead innovation in next-generation communications.”
“We are very pleased to collaborate with Samsung, a global leader in communications technologies. By combining our advanced expertise, we will accelerate the realization of next-generation networks that evolve to become more efficient and highly reliable through AI-RAN,” said Hideyuki Tsukuda, Executive Vice President and CTO, SoftBank Corp. “SoftBank remains committed to taking on the challenge of building the next-generation social infrastructure essential for a future society where AI and humans coexist.”
Samsung newsroom announcement | October 24, 2025
AI in communications: what to expect
Embedding AI into communications, from network analytics to real time operations, can significantly change things, not just for operators but for end users.
In May, 2025, Rakuten Symphony, a subsidiary of the Japanese e-commerce and tech conglomerate Rakuten Group, focused on providing cloud-native, software-driven telecommunications solutions to mobile network operators and enterprises globally, reported an estimated 20% expected cost savings on AI-driven network optimization, decision making, automation and network power consumption.
Mobile networks traditionally consume a significant amount of energy, with the Radio Access Network (RAN) accounting for around 80% of total power consumption, largely due to the demands of handling ever-increasing user traffic. To address this, Rakuten Mobile and Rakuten Symphony prioritized sustainability by developing a RIC platform that will be able to reduce network power consumption on its 4G and 5G Open RAN network by 15% to 20% in the future. Rakuten Mobile in-house developed rApps, powered by machine learning algorithm, analyze subscriber traffic patterns, predict demand and dynamically adjust base station utilization for optimal network efficiency.
"From day one, Rakuten Mobile has been committed to building, deploying and operating an automated, cloud-native, intelligent and open network powered by software. This RIC deployment is a major milestone in our journey to build a fully automated, sustainable and intelligent mobile network. By leveraging AI and Open RAN, we are not only reducing our environmental footprint but also creating a more agile and cost-effective infrastructure that will enable us to deliver innovative services to our customers.”
Sharad Sriwastawa, co-CEO of Rakuten Mobile, and President of Rakuten Symphony
Rakuten Symphony report | May 28, 2025.
Rakuten Symphony’s immediate focus on sustainability, operational cost and automation on current commercial networks (4G & 5G) gives us an idea of where things are headed.
Samsung and Softbank will be playing in the same field, only with future generations of communications technologies.
This means that the tech giants aim to lead in enabling and scaling innovations in communications technologies. With Artificial intelligence autonomously helping monitor and optimize communications networks and infrastructure, we can expect higher profit margins for companies in communications tech and potentially lower cost of services for the end users.
AI is set to penetrate all industries and improve systems. We can expect more partnerships to take the tech through major and small markets.