Samsung Electronics, Verizon successfully demonstrate AI-based ISAC, a key 6G technology

Samsung Electronics has successfully demonstrated integrated sensing and communication technology — a core component of 6G — in a real-world setting alongside US carrier Verizon. The AI-based ISAC technology is expected to enable crowd density analysis at large events while improving operational efficiency and audience safety.

The two companies announced Tuesday that they had validated Samsung Electronics' AI-based ISAC technology, built on its virtualized network solution, at a global sporting event held in Texas in July.

A virtualized network solution implements network functions through software running on general-purpose servers, rather than on dedicated hardware. Because it makes it easier to leverage CPUs and GPUs for AI workloads, the approach allows new AI services and AI-driven network capabilities to be deployed and scaled rapidly.

ISAC is a key 6G technology that turns communication equipment into high-precision sensors. By analyzing the reflection patterns of radio signals collected at base stations, it can determine the location, speed and direction of objects — all without requiring separate sensing hardware or modifications to existing communication infrastructure.

The technology works even in blind spots or low-light environments where conventional sensing methods struggle, making it applicable across a wide range of fields including safety and security, transportation and industrial operations.

At the event, the two companies used ISAC to detect crowd movement and density in real time, processed the data through AI, and successfully visualized the results as heat maps — color-coded representations of data intensity and distribution.

The technology allows organizers at large gatherings such as sporting events and concerts to monitor crowd conditions in real time.

Armed with that information, event organizers can manage congested areas and take preventive action against safety incidents. The technology also makes it easier to guide attendees toward less crowded amenities or alternative routes.

The demonstration used Samsung Electronics' latest AI radio access network solution, NIS (Network in a Server). NIS implements network functions — including AI, base stations and core — in software, and integrates high-performance computing resources such as CPUs and GPUs into a single platform, serving as an edge AI platform.

NIS can run a wide range of network functions through software on a single hardware platform. A key advantage is that new technologies such as ISAC can be deployed without replacing existing network equipment or adding separate hardware.

Verizon Chief Technology Officer Yago Tenorio said the successful demonstration of AI-based ISAC with Samsung Electronics "is a meaningful achievement that gives concrete shape to the blueprint for the 6G era," adding that the company would "continue to validate and advance future technologies combining AI across diverse domains, from everyday life infrastructure to industrial ecosystems."