Baltic Assist says AI cuts junior jobs in Lithuania

Baltic Assist says automation has removed about 70% of its data-entry work, while artificial intelligence has raised output per employee by roughly 50%.

Junior hiring has fallen by around half over the past three years as software takes over routine tasks and new recruits move more quickly into client-facing work.

The figures come as Lithuania's business services sector shows signs of generating more value with fewer workers. Invest Lithuania counted more than 27,000 professionals across 100 companies in its 2025 report, while its 2026 overview put the total at about 26,000 professionals across 105 centres.

On their own, those figures do not explain why reported headcount fell. But they reflect a broader shift in how back-office work is organised. Routine processing is shrinking, while the remaining roles often require more judgement, stronger communication and the ability to work across several markets.

Similar patterns are visible elsewhere in Central and Eastern Europe. In Poland, the region's largest business services hub, employment has levelled off at about half a million, while exports per employee rose by more than USD 10,000 in 2025, according to industry association ABSL.

Changing Roles

Baltic Assist Chief Executive Andžej Rynkevič described a sharp change in how entry-level staff begin their careers.

"When we started, a new accountant might spend months on data entry before ever speaking to a client," Rynkevič said.

"Most of that is automated now. Within weeks, our juniors work directly with finance teams in Scandinavia, the UK or the US, handling rules that differ from country to country."

He said the company's hiring standards have changed alongside the technology.

"Even candidates for junior positions now have to demonstrate an ability to do more than an AI agent."

The trend aligns with economists' concerns about AI's effect on entry-level work. Early evidence from the United States has pointed to weaker employment among younger workers in jobs with high exposure to automation, including customer service and clerical roles.

Raul Eamets, chief economist at Bigbank, put the change in direct terms.

"Jobs meant for juniors now require seniors' knowledge and skills," Eamets said.

Small-Market Effect

The shift may be especially significant for smaller European economies that have long relied on internationally oriented workforces. In countries such as Lithuania, Estonia, Slovenia and Denmark, exports of goods and services account for roughly 70% to 85% of GDP, far above the shares seen in larger economies such as Germany and France.

Language skills and digital literacy have also supported that model. In 10 EU countries, including Lithuania, Estonia, Slovenia and Denmark, more than nine in 10 working-age adults knew at least one foreign language in 2022. Among Lithuanians aged 16 to 24, almost 81% had at least basic digital skills, compared with an EU average of 74.6%.

That environment has often pushed younger workers into international roles earlier in their careers. In a small domestic market, graduates can move quickly into serving foreign clients, while larger countries can offer years of work focused only on home demand.

Yet the advantage is not fixed. Across its full adult population, Lithuania still trails the EU average on digital skills, at 53.8% versus 60.4%. Eamets has also argued that AI is reducing the importance of language barriers in written work, potentially weakening one of the traditional strengths of smaller countries.

That creates a risk for employers and policymakers alike. If junior jobs continue to disappear, smaller economies may lose the early-career routes that helped workers build international experience. Higher-paid roles may also increasingly go to experienced specialists recruited from abroad rather than to local entrants.

For employers, the emerging lesson is that workers who can manage processes across several countries may become more valuable than those whose experience is confined to a single national market. Teams that can challenge instructions from headquarters and adapt work across borders may also become more important as routine tasks continue to shrink.

The changes in Lithuania's business services workforce suggest that growth in the sector may no longer be measured mainly by rising headcount. Instead, the direction of travel appears to be towards fewer roles, more complex work and earlier responsibility for those who are hired.