5G networks will meet the diverse requirements of new services and applications, such as IoT, virtual/augmented reality, autonomous cars, and precision agriculture. To handle this diversity, multiple operating modes, provided by different wireless access technologies, have been defined. Additionally, 5G networks are being developed under an intense softwarization process, characterized by the use of cloud, virtualization, and programmability. This process is significant in access networks and even more notable in the 5G core. Faced with many challenges, there are several open questions, such as the integration of non-3GPP IoT access network technologies into a 5G core. The SAMURAI project proposes to research, deploy, and extend 5G systems, developing the software necessary to demonstrate the integration of wireless access technologies into the 5G core. Furthermore, the project will address issues related to the adoption of Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) as a critical component in the evolution of 5G networks. Although standardization institutions are advancing in the definition of a framework, there are still several gaps for the full use of AI/ML in 5G. To overcome some of the most relevant gaps, the SAMURAI project will determine appropriate AI/ML algorithms and techniques for problems in access and core networks, such as link adaptation to channel conditions, beam selection in millimeter waves, and functionality positioning, in addition to advancing the state-of-the-art in the process of data collection and use. By bringing together academic institutions and RNP, the project enables the evaluation of AI/ML in a nationwide network, allowing the development of solutions that have predictable behavior and can be effectively adopted in production systems that leverage priority use cases for Brazil, such as education enabled by long-range networks.