In a symbolic but highly publicized move, Albania has appointed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) bot named Diella to its cabinet as a minister for public procurement. Introduced by Prime Minister Edi Rama, the appointment is a theatrical yet serious effort to tackle rampant corruption in public tenders.
Diella, whose name means “sun” in Albanian, is not a legally recognized minister as the country’s constitution requires ministers to be human citizens aged 18 and older. However, her role is clear: to ensure public tenders are “100% free of corruption” by leveraging an AI model developed by a brilliant team of Albanian and international experts. According to Rama, this initiative aims to make the process faster, more efficient, and fully accountable by eliminating human influence.
The AI bot had already been working as a virtual assistant on the e-Albania platform, assisting over a million applicants with official documents. The Prime Minister’s vision for Diella is a “leapfrog” strategy, aiming to bypass the “traditional ways of working” that hold back larger, more advanced nations.
Reactions to the appointment have been mixed. The opposition Democratic Party called the move “ridiculous” and “unconstitutional,” while others, like financial services founder Aneida Bajraktari Bicja, are cautiously optimistic, seeing it as a potential real step toward improving transparency and trust if it evolves beyond mere symbolism.
Dr. Andi Hoxhaj, a specialist in Western Balkan corruption, notes that if correctly programmed, AI can be a powerful tool for anti-graft efforts. He believes Albania’s push for EU accession by 2027 provides a strong incentive to address corruption, making this a worthwhile experiment. Rama himself admits to an element of a publicity stunt but insists the true purpose is to pressure other cabinet members to “run and think differently.” The message is clear: ministers should beware, as AI could be coming for their jobs.
Source: BBC