Lithuania to Build an Artificial Intelligence Factory – Project to Be Coordinated by Vilnius University

The European Commission (EC) has allocated funding for the establishment of the LitAI Artificial Intelligence (AI) Factory in Lithuania. It is expected to become a national centre of competence and technology, bringing together advanced computing infrastructure, data access, scientific research, and highly qualified specialists. This facility will unite the public sector, business, and academia in developing and implementing practical AI solutions – from public services and industry to transport and defence.

According to Minister of the Economy and Innovation Edvinas Grikšas, this will be a strategic step to ensure that Lithuania not only uses AI technologies but also develops them, strengthening its competitiveness across Europe.
‘This is a strategic step towards Lithuania’s digital progress. This achievement confirms that Lithuania possesses both the competence and potential to become an important part of Europe’s artificial intelligence and high-performance computing ecosystem. The LitAI Factory will both strengthen our scientific and innovation capacities and directly contribute to economic growth and the development of advanced technologies throughout the country,’ said the Minister.
Lithuania has clearly defined its priority areas where artificial intelligence can create the greatest breakthroughs: cybersecurity and defence, personalised medicine, industrial automation, green transformation, energy, transport, and the use of data in the public sector. Lithuania already has a strong scientific and technological base in these areas, and strategic cooperation between institutions facilitates faster progress.

This competence and technology centre will operate as a one-stop platform providing computing infrastructure as well as technical and research-based consulting services. This will enable the public and private sectors to develop, test, and implement reliable AI solutions more rapidly, particularly in the areas of cybersecurity, personalised medicine, and industrial automation.

‘One of Vilnius University’s strategic goals is to establish centres of competence of national and international significance. LitAI – the artificial intelligence competence and technology centre – represents an opportunity for a scientific breakthrough through AI-based solutions, and, more broadly, a step forward for Lithuania’s progress. We are pleased with the academic competence gathered within the University and the cooperation with other institutions and businesses that made this significant achievement possible, ’ said Prof. Rimvydas Petrauskas, Rector of Vilnius University.

Earlier this year, the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation (EIMIN) and Vilnius University (VU) signed a memorandum of intent to establish an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Factory. In June, the project partners submitted their funding application to the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU).

The project’s estimated value is around EUR 130 million, the majority of which will be dedicated to high-performance computing infrastructure. Additional investments are planned in engineering capacity and the recruitment of highly qualified specialists.

It is expected that the project will create more than 100 high-skilled jobs, and the long-term return to the State – through employment, taxes, and innovation growth – will significantly exceed the initial investment.
The project will be implemented within the infrastructure of the LRTC VDC3 – the Third State Data Centre of the Lithuanian Radio and Television Centre, which has been prepared for modernisation, with the aim of creating a high-quality platform. For the implementation of the AI Factory project, Vilnius University will form a consortium with partners including Kaunas University of Technology, VILNIUS TECH, Vytautas Magnus University, the State Data Agency, Lithuanian Radio and Television Centre, the Innovation Agency, and affiliated partners.

The costs of acquiring and operating the EuroHPC AI-optimised supercomputer will be financed by the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking through the EU’s Digital Europe Programme, together with Lithuanian state funds. In addition, the creation and operation of the AI factory will be financed through the EU Horizon Europe Programme and national funding.