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AI Specialists in Lithuania: Salaries Reach €10,000 as Student Numbers Surge

AI Specialists in Lithuania: Salaries Reach €10,000 as Student Numbers Surge

September 4, 2025

While the number of advanced AI-driven technologies in Lithuania continues to grow, the key component remains people. Companies today have high expectations—they seek specialists capable of performing specific tasks, yet such professionals are scarce. It's no surprise, then, that experienced AI experts can earn up to €10,000. The good news is that interest in AI bachelor's studies is steadily increasing: this September, the number of enrolled students has doubled.

According to the IBM 2025 CEO Study, 54% of CEOs are hiring for AI-related roles that didn’t exist just a year ago. The same trend is visible in Lithuania—AI infrastructure is being implemented across more and more companies, driving demand for a wide range of specialists: from AI integration experts and robotics engineers to AI ethics specialists, machine learning and deep learning engineers, and big data architects.

“Anyone working on AI projects understands that it's not enough to just have the technology and an idea—you need a team capable of handling every stage, from data preparation to maintaining the model in daily operations. Companies are looking for professionals who can already perform specific tasks, and that’s the main challenge: there are very few such people on the market,” says Rėdas Šimelis, CEO of 3RTechnology, a company that supplies AI infrastructure.

According to him, the AI specialist community is growing, but not quickly enough to meet current demand. In the past, the latest technologies would reach Lithuania after several years, but those days are over—today, modern equipment is implemented almost in sync with the global market. And that only increases the need for skilled professionals.

Student Numbers More Than Doubled in a Year

Some companies are patiently cultivating talent from student ranks. The conditions are favorable, as interest in AI studies has surged in recent years. The Artificial Intelligence Systems program at VILNIUS TECH launched in 2021 with just 15 students. This year, the program received 440 applications—1.5 times more than last year’s 284—and accepted more than twice as many students: from 41 last year to 84 this year. In five years, the number of applicants has grown 3.5 times. Every year, the program also attracts international students—this year, about 50.

“We’re seeing a clear upward trend in demand for AI studies. Most bachelor’s students start working while still studying, often staying with the companies where they complete internships. Meanwhile, master’s programs are chosen by professionals already in the workforce who want to deepen their knowledge.

We’re observing that during their studies, they often change jobs—moving into higher positions or more innovative companies,” says VILNIUS TECH Professor Dr. Simona Ramanauskaitė.

Due to the strong demand for graduates with specialized AI knowledge, VILNIUS TECH launched two new master’s programs last autumn: Artificial Intelligence Engineering, which admitted 21 students in 2024 and 39 in 2025, and AI Solutions Management, which grew from 19 students last year to 52 this year.

Turning Code Into Solutions Takes Hundreds—Even Thousands—of Work Hours

According to VILNIUS TECH Professor Dr. Artūras Serackis, the creation of new study programs is directly linked to what the market currently demands.

“AI specialists need to be well-rounded professionals. It’s a misconception that AI studies are only about using ChatGPT, Gemini, or Copilot. The need to implement AI in manufacturing, services, or quality control is very diverse, and generative models are only suitable in 1 out of 10 cases. In all other situations, the most effective solutions are based on smaller, more efficient, and faster machine learning models, often combined with specialized electronic devices,” says Prof. Serackis.

He emphasizes that a true AI professional is someone who can solve a company’s specific problems and ensure the developed solution works reliably.

“Often, the solution has to operate autonomously—gather data from various sources, process and interpret it, synchronize it, ensure security, make decisions in real time, and consider operational costs. From an experimental code to a functioning solution can take hundreds or even thousands of high-level engineering and IT work hours,” he explains.

Experienced AI Professionals Earn Up to €10,000

These are the competencies that are in highest demand today—but also the hardest to find. Aistė Ričkutė, Head of the Tech Recruitment Team at People Link, notes that Lithuanian companies are increasingly seeking employees who can work with AI technologies. And it’s no longer just tech companies—AI expertise is now sought in manufacturing, services, and logistics as well.

“Companies have very high expectations for candidates—they’re not only looking for experience but also the ability to take ownership of specific tasks and deliver results. At the same time, AI specialists with years of experience are in extremely high demand, and they’re well aware of their market value, which is reflected in their salary expectations,” says Ričkutė.

Salaries in Lithuania’s AI sector vary depending on experience and position. AI engineers typically earn between €4,000 and €5,500 gross, while team leads can earn anywhere from €6,000 to €10,000 gross. These figures vary based on company size, sector, and specific needs.

Ričkutė predicts that demand for AI specialists will continue to grow, pushing companies to choose between hiring from the market or developing talent internally. The latter requires investment in training, courses, and upskilling—but external competition for experienced professionals is only getting tougher.