Plus, it can help Samsung fine-tune customer experiences for the next-gen network. It could provide the info the Korean corporation needs to conjure up solutions for issues caused by 5G, for instance, which fixes meant for 3G or LTE can't address.

Youngky Kim, President and Head of Samsung's Networks Business, explained:

"5G will enable unprecedented services attributed to the generation of exponential data traffic, for which automated and intelligent network analytics tools are vital. The acquisition of Zhilabs will help Samsung meet these demands to assure each subscriber receives the best possible service."

While the Korean company didn't reveal how much money changed hands, it did say that the acquisition is part of its commitment to invest 25 trillion Korean won (US$22 billion) in AI and 5G over the next three years. It's preparing for a future filled with automated, internet-connected everything -- just recently, it even launched chips for connected vehicles. That's why aside from this acquisition, Samsung is also working to beef up its automation solutions and to explore other business opportunities "powered by the emerging technologies."