Albania has appointed the world’s first artificial intelligence “minister” to oversee public procurement, in a bold move that Prime Minister Edi Rama says will eliminate corruption and speed up government operations.
- •The AI-generated entity, named Diella, meaning “sun” in Albanian, will manage all government tenders, which Rama pledged will now be “100% free of corruption.”
- •Diella, created in cooperation with Microsoft and depicted in a traditional Albanian costume, was initially launched as a virtual assistant on the state’s e-Albania platform earlier this year.
- •Analysts say the experiment could mark a turning point in digital governance if successful, but warn of risks around oversight, accountability, and manipulation.
“This is the first cabinet member who is not physically present, but is virtually created by AI. She will help make Albania a country where public tenders are 100% free of corruption.” Rama said, unveiling his new Cabinet as he began a fourth consecutive term. “Diella will serve as the guardian of transparency in public spending.”
Public tenders have long been a source of corruption scandals in Albania, a hub for organized crime and money laundering, where graft has eroded trust in institutions and complicated the country’s bid to join the European Union. Rama has promised Albania will conclude EU accession talks by 2027, though critics call the timeline ambitious.
The AI minister’s appointment has sparked sharp debate. The opposition Democratic Party dismissed the move as unconstitutional and political theater. “The prime minister’s buffoonery cannot be turned into legal acts of the Albanian state,” said opposition leader Gazmend Bardhi.
The government has not detailed what safeguards will be in place to ensure Diella’s decisions cannot be corrupted or misused.
Citizens remain skeptical as well. While some praise the innovation, others on social media mocked that “even Diella will be corrupted in Albania.”
For now, Diella is tasked with one of the most sensitive functions in government, ensuring that billions of euros in public contracts are awarded transparently, free from bribes, threats, or favoritism. Whether Albania’s AI minister becomes a model for the future governance, or a cautionary tale, remains to be seen.