Lithuania is preparing one of the largest technology investments in the Baltic region. The AI Factory LitAI, valued at €130 million, is set to bring a new AI-optimized supercomputer to Vilnius, intended to serve scientists, businesses, startups, and the public sector.
The project is not restricted to Lithuania alone. Developed as part of the EuroHPC European initiative, it will be connected to a broader network of European AI factories, opening opportunities for companies and research teams from Austria and other EU member states.
Half funded by Lithuania, half by the European Union
The total investment in LitAI is expected to reach €130 million.
The Lithuanian government will provide €65 million, while the other €65 million will come from EuroHPC’s shared EU resources.
The project is led by Vilnius University in partnership with other universities, state institutions, and technology partners.
The core of the system will be a high-performance computer designed primarily for developing and training artificial intelligence models.
Such machines are becoming vital strategic infrastructure. Aktualizované.sk recently reported that China has now surpassed the United States in the ranking of the world’s fastest supercomputers.
Supercomputer to be housed in Vilnius
The LitAI facility will be located at the data center of the Lithuanian National Radio and Television Centre (LRTC) in Vilnius.
But it’s not just about the supercomputer itself.
The project aims to combine computing power, data storage, experts, development tools, and services for businesses and research centers.
Priority areas will include cyber security, smart industry, energy, and digital healthcare.
The Lithuanian ministry estimates that this domestic technology infrastructure could save the local ecosystem around €100 million, with LitAI’s services providing additional economic benefits of about €150 million.
However, these are government projections of future benefits, not actual results yet achieved.
Why Austrian firms can benefit
The Austrian daily Krone highlighted the new opportunities that the European network of AI factories offers Austrian companies.
LitAI is designed as part of the EuroHPC infrastructure, which aims to make high-performance computing accessible to European researchers, startups, and enterprises.
For Austrian companies, this could mean new opportunities to collaborate, test models, or access computing power through European programs.
However, this does not imply that Austrian companies would automatically receive a portion of the €130 million investment.
Austria is building its own AI factory
Austria also has its own project, AI Factory Austria – AI:AT.
In Vienna, a center already provides companies and research organizations with expert support, training, and access to European supercomputers.
Austria is also preparing to commission its own high-performance AI-optimized computer, which, according to the national ministry, is slated to go live in 2027.
The investment in this infrastructure is estimated at €53 million.
Instead of relying on a single central supercomputer, European countries are building a network of interconnected centers.
Europe wants to reduce dependence on the US and Asia
There is a strategic motivation behind the AI Factory projects.
The European Union’s goal is to have its own computing power to develop large AI models and reduce reliance on tech infrastructure outside Europe.
The AI race is also an economic and geopolitical contest. Aktualizované.sk has previously analyzed how Europe, the US, and China are entering a new era of technological competition.
Through LitAI, Lithuania also aims to attract technology companies and create more than a hundred highly qualified jobs.
AI factories are multiplying across Europe
EuroHPC already supports projects in Austria, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Finland, Sweden, and Czechia.
LitAI will also join this network.
Slovakia is currently preparing its own AI Factory Antenna and developing domestic legislation for supervising artificial intelligence.
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The Lithuanian project illustrates how quickly Europe’s technological infrastructure is changing. Just a few years ago, supercomputers were limited to a handful of major countries; today, similar centers are becoming part of a shared European network.
For companies, the key will be whether they can easily access this computing power under the right conditions to develop their own AI solutions. This is where LitAI could play a significant role, not only for Lithuania but for the broader European tech sector.
This article was translated from the original Slovak version with the assistance of AI.
