Hector Group's recruitment-linked AI competition, "HAI! Hector AI Challenge," concludes the final round.

Hecto Group announced that it has concluded its AI talent acquisition program by holding the final round of the 'HAI! Hecto AI Challenge,' an AI competition linked to recruitment.

This competition was planned by Hector Group to select and recruit talent with AI technology capabilities, and was conducted in collaboration with data science platform DACON.

The competition focused on developing deepfake detection technology, a social issue related to the proliferation of generative AI. The total prize pool was 26 million won. The grand prize winner received 10 million won.

The competition began with an online preliminary round lasting approximately seven weeks, from December 15, 2025, to February 2, 2026. Participants developed and competed on AI models that could detect deepfakes in videos and images. The top ten teams that advanced through the online preliminary round were evaluated on their technical performance and creativity in the offline final round held on the 11th. The grand prize went to a joint team from Kookmin University and Kwangwoon University, while the second place went to a joint team from Ewha Womans University and Sogang University, and the third place went to a team of Hanyang University students.

Contest winners will be exempted from the document screening and first interview process when applying for positions at Hector Group, and the top 30 teams will be registered in the recruitment talent pool and given priority consideration for future AI research and development and data-related positions.

In addition to discovering AI talent, Hector Group also provides training programs and systematic capacity development opportunities to enhance the expertise of its members. Kim Jeong-geun, Executive Director of HAI Headquarters, stated, "This competition was an opportunity to identify AI talent capable of maintaining social trust beyond a simple technical competition. We plan to continue expanding the environment for talent growth to strengthen our AI technology competitiveness."

In recent years, the AI industry has seen a rise in corporate-led competitions and recruitment programs, simultaneously securing top talent and developing practical AI technologies.

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