ETRI develops autonomous 6G core network powered by AI

The Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) has successfully developed an intelligent, service-programmable 6G core network that utilizes artificial intelligence for autonomous control. This technology marks a significant shift from static 5G management to a dynamic system capable of self-learning and real-time optimization of routing paths and quality of service. For the telecommunications sector, this advancement represents a critical milestone toward AI-native infrastructure that reduces manual operational overhead while significantly enhancing network efficiency.

ETRI’s new intelligent core leverages an AI-native control and user plane architecture that extends the Service-Based Architecture (SBA) found in previous generations. By incorporating Segment Routing over IPv6 (SRv6), the network can dynamically configure data transmission paths based on specific service characteristics rather than relying on fixed session management structures. The research team, led by Assistant Vice President Taesik Cheung and Director Namseok Ko, also developed intelligent automation modules and training optimization technologies, enabling the network to autonomously establish and adjust sessions with minimal human intervention.

Performance evaluations of the system demonstrate a 40% improvement in session processing efficiency compared to traditional GTP-based architectures with fixed routing paths. The solution achieves Level 3 End-to-End AI automation through reinforcement learning-based policy recommendation mechanisms, allowing for fully automated session and traffic control without operator involvement. This capability ensures fine-grained management of quality of service (QoS) parameters, such as latency and bandwidth, allowing telecom operators to provide service-specific path differentiation and optimized resource utilization.

The project was a collaborative effort involving major South Korean carriers SK Telecom and LG Uplus, alongside SNETICT and government-backed research bodies including the Ministry of Science and ICT. ETRI has already filed more than 60 core patents and submitted the architecture to the 3GPP SA2 standardization group for global consideration, with findings published in IEEE Communications. Looking forward, the institute plans to expand this framework to include core-transport network convergence and support for low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications, aiming to solidify its leadership in the global 6G landscape.