Tech firms race to recruit AI specialists

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As artificial intelligence (AI) emerges as the go-to concept for corporate survival, Korea’s tech giants are scrambling to fill their staffs with AI specialists. They are doubling down on recruitment, partnerships and academic outreach, while also making efforts to lock in experts already on their payroll.

In a move signaling urgency, Kakao on Monday launched its first-ever groupwide hiring campaign, breaking from its traditionally conservative hiring practices. The large-scale recruitment drive spans all job categories across its affiliates, including Kakao Games, Mobility, Bank, Entertainment and Pay. It is aimed at securing what the company calls “AI native” professionals — individuals who grew up surrounded by AI and digital tools.

“Today’s young people are the first generation to grow up alongside diverse AI technologies, learning to use them and developing together,” company CEO Chung Shin-a said while announcing the campaign earlier this month. “We look forward to young talents who can discover creative answers through distinctive and unconventional questions.”

The company emphasized that expanding investment in both skills and technology is not only about strengthening the company’s capabilities but also a crucial approach to navigating uncertainties amid the rapidly evolving AI era.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, right, shakes hands with Kakao CEO Chung Shin-a during Kakao's media day event at The Plaza Seoul hotel, Feb. 4. Courtesy of Kakao

Kakao is preparing to unveil new AI services, including products co-developed with OpenAI, which will officially launch in November. It is also building an AI agent platform designed to connect a wide range of Kakao’s services, signaling a shift toward deeper AI integration across its entire ecosystem.

“In the age of AI, society as a whole will require more developers,” Kakao’s Chief Technology Officer Jeong Gyu-don wrote on the company’s blog on Sunday.

“I firmly believe that embracing change early, moving forward step by step with joy and not fearing failure is the true path to becoming an AI native, a source of competitiveness not only for individuals and companies but for society as a whole.”

Naver Cloud is taking a different route by forging early pipelines through academia. The company signed an agreement for a consortium with five prestigious Korean universities last month, including KAIST, Seoul National University and Korea University, as part of its government-backed national AI foundation model project.

The company will run research-led residency programs for the schools’ graduate students, who will be jointly working with Naver Cloud researchers on AI model development and applied research.

Naver Cloud noted that the agreement will give it an opportunity to identify and secure outstanding potential recruits at an early stage, while students gain practical experience in the industry, creating a virtuous cycle of joint growth between academia and industry.

“This consortium will be a vital foundation for cultivating future AI talent by combining the strengths of both academia and industry, while also reinforcing technological sovereignty in the country and growing global competitiveness,” Sung Na-ko, Naver Cloud head of Hyperscale AI, said.

Participants join KT's career fair, KT AIVLE School, in Songpa District, Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of KT

Meanwhile, telecommunications giant KT is pushing a hybrid approach. The company has been aggressively hiring experienced AI professionals as it seeks to deepen alliances with global players such as Microsoft and Palantir, recruiting consultants for Palantir’s project and full-scale AI transformation services.

LG Uplus is planning to hold a tech conference on Sept. 17 at its Seoul headquarters, inviting computer science graduates and active engineers. Unlike typical recruitment events, this is designed as an interactive platform where the company’s technical experts directly engage with participants to discuss AI initiatives, career opportunities and the company’s long-term tech strategy.

Meanwhile, LG CNS has been stepping up its efforts to secure top-tier AI professionals, investing heavily in skill development with customized AI training programs, as well as global project opportunities with partners such as tech unicorn startup Cohere.

The company has been providing support for its employees to acquire AI-related certificates in addition to in-house certification tracks. It has also committed to expanding its workforce to 1,000 AI experts by the end of the year through new recruitment and training.