SK Hynix Drops Degree Requirement in Race for AI Chip Talent

As generative AI becomes widespread, access to knowledge is changing dramatically and a university degree no longer necessarily reflects job competence. SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won said businesses and educators in the AI era should instead prioritize four core capabilities: critical thinking, adaptability, empathy and hands-on skills. The shift challenges South Korea’s longstanding emphasis on academic credentials and redefines the talent the technology sector needs amid the AI boom.

South Korean memory-chip giant SK hynix formally announced on June 17, 2026, that it would remove its requirement for new hires to hold at least a bachelor’s degree from a four-year university. The policy will initially apply to core technical roles in chip design and equipment research and development before expanding to production lines. To support the change, SK hynix introduced an AI video-interview system called “A!SK,” shifting its recruitment criteria toward practical job skills and experience in solving problems.

Generative AI has driven rising demand for high-bandwidth memory, or HBM, allowing SK Hynix to expand its competitive advantage in the sector. Samsung Electronics, meanwhile, is contending with losses in both its foundry and System LSI divisions. The two companies are competing for engineers with mass-production experience, with implications for their strategies in advanced memory, logic chips and process technology.

SK Hynix has recently targeted mid-career employees in Samsung Electronics’ foundry and System LSI divisions. The recruitment drive comes amid internal reports of unequal bonus allocations at Samsung and growing employee discontent. Reports have not disclosed the number of hires, salary levels or exact dates, but the market is watching whether Samsung loses key HBM and advanced-process personnel.

High-bandwidth memory (HBM) delivers large volumes of data to AI accelerators with high bandwidth and low power consumption, making it a critical component in the race for generative AI computing power. After a downturn in the memory market, SK hynix rebounded through technology investment and its supply partnership with Nvidia, becoming a key company in the global AI semiconductor supply chain.

South Korean broadcaster KBS was granted access to SK hynix’s M16 wafer fabrication plant for the first time. Its program “The World Seen for the First Time” showed the company’s secret HBM production line operating around the clock, along with employees at work. The report did not specify an air date, investment amount or production capacity, but footage from the facility showed the company working at full speed to meet demand for AI memory.

SK hynix is a leading global supplier of high-bandwidth memory, or HBM. Its operating profit could double as the expansion of generative AI model training drives memory demand. HBM has become a critical component in the AI server supply chain, and the company’s earnings directly affect whether semiconductor employees share in the industry’s gains.

As of July 20, 2026, SK hynix shares had surpassed 1.2 million won to reach a record high. After the company adopted a bonus system tied to operating profit, analysts estimated that employees’ average annual profit-sharing bonus could reach 700 million won, or about NT$15 million. Related reports put the amount at between NT$13 million and NT$15 million.

As demand for AI servers intensifies competition in high-bandwidth memory, SK Hynix’s AI Infrastructure business oversees AI memory sales and product launch planning. It also serves as a key point of contact for global clients including Nvidia. The speed of cross-border collaboration directly affects customer responsiveness and supply competitiveness, making the shift toward English in the workplace an operational overhaul rather than merely language training.

SK Hynix was reported on March 22, 2026, to be preparing a pilot English-language work environment in AI Infrastructure-related departments. Employees would be required to use both Korean and English in emails, while the company would review English-language support in its internal systems. Samsung Electronics piloted written English communications with overseas subsidiaries in February 2026 and implemented the policy companywide in March. SK Hynix has not disclosed a budget for its plan, which could later be expanded to more departments.