The AI-RAN Alliance is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Alex Jinsung Choi, Principal Fellow at SoftBank’s Research Institute of Advanced Technology, as its new Chair. In this role, Dr Choi is committed to collaborating with leading technology firms, industry experts, and academic institutions to drive the adoption and expansion of AI-RAN (artificial intelligence-radio access networks) technology, underpinned by advancements in 5G and 6G.
“The AI-RAN Alliance is set to transform telecommunications through AI-RAN advancements, increased efficiency, and new economic opportunities,” said Dr Choi. “As Chair, I’m excited to lead this AI-RAN initiative, working with industry leaders to enhance mobile networks, reduce power consumption, and modernise infrastructure with 5G and 6G with AI/ML. Our goal is to drive societal progress through AI-RAN, transitioning from traditional to next-generation communications infrastructure.”
With over 30 years of experience in the telecommunications sector, Dr Choi has held numerous leadership positions in research and development across various technological domains, including mobile networks and AI/ML (artificial intelligence/machine learning). He is also a well-respected figure in industry associations, having previously served as Chairman of the O-RAN Alliance, where he played a key role in advancing O-RAN specifications and steering RAN towards open and intelligent solutions.
Under Dr Choi’s leadership, the AI-RAN Alliance will harness the combined expertise of its members to propel research and innovation in three core areas: AI-for-RAN, focusing on enhancing radio access network capabilities with AI to improve spectral efficiency; AI-and-RAN, which integrates AI with RAN processes to optimise infrastructure usage and generate new revenue streams; and AI-on-RAN, deploying AI services at the network Edge to boost operational efficiency and offer new services to mobile users. Network operators within the alliance will lead the testing and implementation of these technologies, developed through the collaborative efforts of member companies and academic institutions.
Jim Shea, Co-Founder and CEO of DeepSig, said: “As a pioneer in AI-native communications together with his prior experience growing the O-RAN ALLIANCE, Choi will lead this important initiative that is shaping the future of intelligent radio access networks. DeepSig’s extensive AI/ML wireless expertise will play a key role in this exciting collaboration to leverage advanced technologies to help the industry unlock unprecedented network efficiency and accelerate innovation.”
Tommaso Melodia, William L. Smith Professor, Northeastern University, said: “We are pleased to have Choi as the Chair of the AI-RAN Alliance, leading our efforts to transform the industry. Choi has been a strong advocate for the evolution towards a more open, software-driven, and AI-integrated future. Under Choi’s leadership, the AI-RAN Alliance is set to fast-track the development of new services and use cases by leveraging openness, softwarisation, and AI integration to enhance network performance, energy efficiency, spectrum sharing, and security, ultimately redefining the landscape of global communications.”
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