SK Launches 'SK AIGEN': 2-Year Non-Degree AI Youth Program with 3M KRW Monthly Stipend

On October 12, 2026, South Korean conglomerate SK officially announced the launch of 'SK AIGEN', a two-year non-degree talent development initiative designed to support young people pursuing ambitious artificial intelligence (AI) projects and innovation independently of university degrees or corporate recruitment tracks. Named after a portmanteau of 'AI' and 'Generation', the program will provide selected participants with a monthly stipend of 3 million KRW and dedicated expert mentoring over a full two-year period.

Image source: 연합뉴스

The initiative is built to deviate from traditional collegiate coursework and rigid corporate recruitment funnels, giving emerging builders the financial breathing room to tackle high-difficulty AI development and research without immediate livelihood pressures.

Two Years of Autonomous Project Support and a 3M KRW Monthly Stipend

The program name 'SK AIGEN' reflects the cohort of digital natives who grew up alongside modern artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies.

Eligibility is open to young adults aged 19 to 34. In contrast to standard short-term coding bootcamps or vocational retraining courses that span a few months, AIGEN establishes a comprehensive two-year timeline where fellows can define their own research agendas and execute multi-phase initiatives.

• 3 Million KRW Monthly Living Stipend: Every admitted fellow receives 3,000,000 KRW each month for the entire two-year duration, helping participants focus on challenging AI projects without immediate financial strain.
• Dedicated Expert Mentoring: Industry specialists and experienced AI practitioners will provide hands-on technical guidance across project architecture, debugging, and computational scaling.
• Autonomous Project-Centric Curriculum: Rather than passive classroom lectures, the program centers around building production-grade models, open-source tooling, and novel AI applications.

Inaugural 50-Seat Cohort in March 2027: Pure Talent Cultivation Without Degree or Hiring Guarantees

SK AIGEN is scheduled to welcome its inaugural cohort in March 2027. The first batch will maintain an elite, compact intake of approximately 50 fellows.

The defining characteristic of the program lies in its explicit non-degree and non-recruitment-linked structure:

1. No Academic Degree: AIGEN is not accredited as a formal university or graduate degree program and awards no official diploma.
2. No Guaranteed SK Employment: The curriculum is not an internal corporate hiring pipeline, internship, or guaranteed onboarding path into SK subsidiaries.

By decoupling the initiative from corporate hiring quotas and academic grading requirements, participants can pursue open-ended AI exploration, open-source contributions, and creative project development without conforming to internal enterprise milestones.

Practical Impact on the AI Ecosystem and Considerations for Applicants

As global and domestic demand for high-caliber AI engineers surges, conventional training pathways have frequently been polarized between brief vocational training programs and lengthy graduate school commitments. SK AIGEN presents an alternative middle ground: substantial multi-year technical runway backed by a monthly living stipend of 3 million KRW.

Prospective applicants, however, must consider several key operational factors:

• Selective Admissions for a 50-Seat Cap: With only around 50 spots available for the nationwide inaugural cohort, the selection process is expected to be highly competitive.
• Self-Directed Career Outcomes: Because employment at SK is not guaranteed, fellows bear full responsibility for navigating their post-program trajectory—whether founding a startup, entering academia, or joining external engineering organizations.
• Long-Term Self-Discipline: Sustaining momentum across a self-directed two-year project requires rigorous time management and demonstrated commitment to shipping meaningful technical deliverables.

SK stated that through AIGEN, it aims to foster an environment where South Korea's younger generation can build the technical foundations required to become globally competitive AI innovators.

Sources

• Yonhap News Agency: SK Launches 2-Year Non-Degree 'AIGEN' Program to Foster AI Talent