At the ongoing Global 6G Conference in South Korea, Samsung Research Fellow Lee Ju-Ho delivered a message that could mark a rare moment of introspection for the mobile industry: 6G can’t repeat the mistakes of 5G.
Instead of chasing after record-breaking download speeds or lower latency, Samsung says that the next generation of wireless connectivity has to focus more on intelligence, reliability, and its value to everyday users. According to Lee Ju-Ho, the changes 6G will bring along "cannot be expressed in numbers," and the industry must "change the direction of the technology."
The statement carries a somewhat philosophical tone and might sound a bit broad for a networking keynote, but it could still point the industry in the right direction. The average user has yet to experience any real improvements from 5G connectivity, despite years of marketing hype and the way it was pushed onto phone manufacturers and consumers alike.
The fact is that, globally, 5G coverage remains inconsistent, as many of its promised benefits such as faster speeds, lower latency, and extensive IoT connectivity are still limited to select regions.
Samsung’s message is that 6G needs a different story to fuel its future.
AI becomes the centerpiece of 6G
Because obviously, even 6G can’t happen without AI calling the shots.
If 5G was about faster connections, 6G will be about smarter ones.
Lee Ju-Ho confirmed that AI-native networking will be a “key feature” of Samsung’s 6G roadmap. The system requires direct intelligence integration at the network layer to achieve real-time self-management and optimization and repair capabilities. In theory, AI could detect signal interference before it causes outages, dynamically adjust frequency use, and optimize power consumption based on user behavior.
This shift from brute-force speed to intelligent efficiency mirrors the broader trend in mobile hardware we see today. The smartphone division of Samsung has integrated AI technology into their products through camera processing and battery management systems, and their upcoming development will apply this approach to network operations.
Samsung sees 6G technology as a solution that will serve aging populations, improve accessibility, and manage autonomous systems like smart vehicles through Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) — a technology that merges radar-like spatial awareness with traditional connectivity.
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What do you most want from 6G?
Better coverage and fewer signal drops
38.1%
Lower power usage and longer battery life
28.57%
AI-managed networks that self-optimize
0%
Real improvements in latency and stability
14.29%
I just want it to live up to the hype — unlike 5G
19.05%
A global race that’s already underway
There are a lot of players in this race, and everyone is doing their part.
Samsung is currently collaborating with Arm on parallel packet processing, an open-source initiative designed to handle data throughput up to 1TB/s. That’s roughly equivalent to streaming 30 Blu-ray movies every second. But the goal here is not the speed itself, but making it manageable and power-efficient, which would help future networks handle dense AI and IoT ecosystems.
But Samsung is far from being the only company that's developing 6G technology. Qualcomm and MediaTek have publicly confirmed their own 6G timelines.
Qualcomm says 2025 will mark the start of official 6G standardization, in partnership with Nokia Bell Labs and Rohde & Schwarz, focusing on AI-native protocols. MediaTek, on the other hand, is exploring hybrid computing that blends cloud, RAN (Radio Access Network), and device intelligence, while working with NVIDIA and Intel on new low-latency communication methods.
Across the Pacific, China’s Peking University has already demonstrated a breakthrough “all-frequency” chip capable of supporting every consumer wireless band from 0.5GHz to 115GHz. The small device operated at 100Gbps data transfer speeds which exceeded 100 times the peak speed of U.S. 5G networks and allowed developers to build miniaturized 6G transceiver systems.
Samsung’s 6G rethink
What stands out about Samsung’s 6G vision is not its ambition, but its restraint. The company’s engineers seem fully aware that the world no longer buys into “x-times-faster” slogans. Instead, 6G will likely be marketed for its reliability, power efficiency, and AI-assisted automation, all of which are qualities that are easier to appreciate than gigabit speeds.
Just the fact that this message was shared during the Global 6G Conference shows that the 6G discussion has reached a more advanced stage. Rather than competing solely on performance, tech giants appear to be converging on a shared theme: networks that think, learn, and adapt. The current 5G era shows potential, but 6G will create an optimized network that unites artificial intelligence systems with human requirements.
The first commercial 6G standard is expected by 2029, though given how quickly this conversation is evolving, it’s likely that we’ll see early demonstrations well before that. For now, at least, Samsung seems determined to make sure that the next big “G” isn’t just a faster version of the last one.
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Aleksandar is a tech enthusiast with a broad range of interests, from smartphones to space exploration. His curiosity extends to hands-on DIY experiments with his gadgets, and he enjoys switching between different brands to experience the latest innovations. Prior to joining PhoneArena, Aleksandar worked on the Google Art Project, digitizing valuable artworks and gaining diverse perspectives on technology. When he's not immersed in tech, Aleksandar is an outdoorsman who enjoys mountain hikes, wildlife photography, and nature conservation. His interests also extend to martial arts, running, and snowboarding, reflecting his dynamic approach to life and technology.
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