EU AI GRID Launches in Lithuania to Forge Digital Sovereignty

VILNIUS, Lithuania – January 23, 2026 – In a move laden with historical symbolism and technological ambition, a new pan-European artificial intelligence initiative, the EU AI GRID, was officially launched at the iconic Vilnius TV Tower. The project, a partnership between Lithuanian state-owned infrastructure operator Telecentras and Singaporean technology firm Embedded LLM, aims to establish a foundational AI network that ensures full compliance with Europe's stringent data protection (GDPR) and AI regulations while guaranteeing digital sovereignty for its users.

A multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed yesterday, marking the beginning of a project that its proponents believe will redefine how Europe engages with artificial intelligence. By framing AI as a critical utility—akin to an energy or telecommunications grid—the initiative seeks to provide a secure, transparent, and auditable alternative to the dominant platforms offered by non-EU technology giants.

A Declaration of Digital Independence

The choice of the Vilnius TV Tower as the launch venue was no accident. The tower is a potent symbol of Lithuania’s fight for independence, the site of a tragic confrontation with Soviet forces on January 13, 1991. By invoking this history, the project’s backers draw a direct parallel between the struggle for physical sovereignty three decades ago and the contemporary battle for digital self-determination.

“With deployment of EU AI Grid launched in the symbolic Vilnius TV Tower demonstrated commitment to digital sovereignty and AI as a fundamental, strategic and critical utility,” stated Ghee Leng, founder of Embedded LLM. This sentiment frames the project not merely as a commercial enterprise, but as a strategic imperative for the European Union in an era of intense geopolitical and technological competition.

The initiative directly addresses growing concerns within the EU about reliance on foreign technology for critical infrastructure. The EU AI GRID is positioned as a direct response to the need for strategic autonomy, ensuring that the development and deployment of artificial intelligence on the continent align with European values and laws. This includes preventing sensitive government, corporate, and personal data from being processed on servers outside the EU's legal jurisdiction, where it could be subject to foreign laws and surveillance.

“We support the EU AI grid initiative because it establishes a path towards EU strategic autonomy and offers another layer of protection to our critical digital infrastructure,” said Edvinas Kerza, co-founder of Vilnius-based Scalewolf Ventures, a key project supporter. The goal is to create an ecosystem where European innovators can collaborate securely, a point echoed by Charles Schoenhoeft, CEO of Neural AI. “We don’t want others to obtain sensitive information that we share on a daily basis,” he noted, highlighting the need for a trusted environment.

The Architecture of a Compliant Grid

At its core, the EU AI GRID promises to solve a critical challenge for European businesses: how to harness the power of AI without navigating a minefield of regulatory compliance and data security risks. The project's architecture is being designed from the ground up to adhere to the EU AI Act and GDPR.

“Our mission is to offer AI users in Europe transparency, data protection to fully harness the potential of the AI revolution,” explained Paulius Kuncinas, managing partner of Embedded LLM Europe, which is incorporated in Vilnius. “The EU must live up to its promise of establishing AI sovereignty at a foundational infrastructure level similar to grid approach in energy, air traffic control, telecoms and banking.”

This "grid" approach involves providing AI as a metered, governable resource. Embedded LLM's technology, including its no-code JamAI Base platform, allows businesses to integrate AI models into their workflows while maintaining control. The platform is designed to be deployed on-premise or within a client's own private cloud, including the secure data centers operated by Telecentras. This model ensures data localization, a cornerstone of GDPR compliance.

The system is built to provide transparency and auditability, allowing organizations to track AI usage and data flows with precision. This addresses a key tenet of the EU AI Act, which will mandate clear documentation and oversight for high-risk AI systems. For businesses, this translates into confidence.

“AI users would like to know that their sensitive legal, technological and commercial information stays on servers in the EU jurisdiction,” said Sigitas Besagirskas, Director at the Lithuanian Innovation Centre (LIC). “This technology will offer them confidence and access to the AI resources to unlock productivity and lead to higher sales and profits.”

Ensuring the integrity of this new grid is cybersecurity partner CBRX. “CBRX is proud to join EU AI Grid as a cybersecurity and governance partner to secure AI deployment practices,” affirmed Kazimieras Sadauskas, CEO and co-founder of CBRX. “We can see potential for EU AI Grid to be established in the whole of the EU in line with basic principles set out in the EU AI Act and other regulations.”

Lithuania's Tech Leap: A Blueprint for Europe

The initiative firmly positions Lithuania as a trailblazer in Europe’s digital future. By hosting the initial deployment, the Baltic nation is acting as a crucial launchpad for a system designed for continental scale. Telecentras, as a state-owned entity responsible for much of the country's critical broadcast and data infrastructure, brings both the technical capability and the institutional trust necessary for such an undertaking.

“Telecentras is proud to be the first in Europe to test this new approach,” said Remigijus Seris, CEO of Telecentras. He outlined a clear vision for expansion, stating, “We plan to offer the concept and experience to our partner network in Estonia, Latvia, Germany, Finland, Sweden and other EU countries in the near term.”

This expansion strategy suggests a federated model, where a network of trusted national infrastructure partners could form the backbone of a truly pan-European AI grid. The project is not just a single data center but a replicable blueprint for digital sovereignty.

The local ecosystem is already mobilizing to support the initiative. The Lithuanian Innovation Centre has identified a list of companies and municipalities that have expressed interest in joining the pilot project, ensuring the grid will be tested with real-world applications from its inception. This collaborative approach, combining international technology, state-owned infrastructure, venture capital, and local innovation hubs, represents a comprehensive strategy to build a robust and self-sufficient tech ecosystem.

With the initial launch complete, the EU AI Grid team is preparing to present the initiative to a wider international audience. They are scheduled to speak at the prestigious Munich Cyber Security Conference (MCSC) on February 12th, signaling their intent to engage with policymakers and security experts across the continent and build momentum for their ambitious vision.