Samsung SSAFY launches 16th cohort with expanded AI data and robotics training

Samsung Electronics' youth software and AI talent development program, the Samsung Youth Software and AI Academy (SSAFY), has launched its 16th cohort, backed by the Ministry of Employment and Labor.

Starting with this intake, the curriculum has been revamped to align with the AI transformation trend, with strengthened data training and the introduction of a new robotics project.

Deputy Minister Kwon Chang-jun attended the 16th cohort's entrance ceremony at the Seoul campus Thursday, the Ministry of Employment and Labor said. He congratulated the 1,050 new enrollees and urged them to grow into core talent that will lead the AI era.

SSAFY is a software and AI talent development program operated by Samsung Electronics and supported by the Ministry of Employment and Labor. Over the course of one year, participants receive 1,725 hours of coding instruction and hands-on project work designed to build practical skills and collaborative ability.

From the 16th cohort onward, the program has strengthened data literacy and introduced a robotics project, drawing on a curriculum co-designed by AI faculty from multiple universities. The changes reflect growing demand for AI transformation across industries and represent a further shift toward practice-oriented training.

Since signing an MOU with Samsung Electronics in 2018, the ministry has provided training cost support and other assistance, offering around 2,000 young people each year hands-on software and AI education opportunities.

In his congratulatory remarks, Kwon referenced the government's three mega-projects — semiconductors, physical AI and AI data centers — saying "the success of these mega-projects ultimately rests in the hands of the software and AI talent who will bring them to life on the ground." He added that the government would "further expand cooperation with companies and actively support practice-centered talent development so that young people can build world-class AI capabilities and secure good jobs."