South Korea launches AI hackathon to advance AI-native R&D

The National Research Council of Science & Technology (NST) has announced the ‘2026 NAIS AI Hackathon’ to promote AI-native research and development (R&D). The initiative seeks to identify specialized AI agents capable of assisting in various stages of the research process, including research planning, data analysis, and administrative tasks.

Participants can apply from August 6 until September 7. The competition will culminate in a final round held during the ‘AI4Sci Korea 2026’ international conference in Seoul. Winners will receive prizes and opportunities for prototype development.

As AI capabilities evolve—with models now capable of hypothesis generation and automated experimentation—the focus of scientific competition is shifting from research funding to the availability of high-quality research resources. Experts suggest that for South Korea to remain competitive, government policy must transition from supporting individual researchers to investing in integrated systems that combine data, computing power, and specialized facilities.