“Diella, the AI minister, to monitor public procurement in Albania in a bid to eliminate corruption.”
Albania has appointed Diella, an AI-generated virtual assistant, to a groundbreaking new role: overseeing public tenders and managing much of the government’s procurement processes. Prime Minister Edi Rama introduced her as the world’s first AI “cabinet member” who is not physically present, but virtually created via artificial intelligence.
Previously, Diella guided users on e-Albania, the state’s digital portal, helping citizens through bureaucratic procedures, issuing documents, and providing nearly 1,000 services since January. Now, her role is being expanded so that decision-making in public tenders gradually shifts from human ministries to this AI system. The goal: to make public contracting 100 percent corruption-free by assessing all bids objectively based on merit.
The name “Diella” means “sun” in Albanian. On the e-Albania platform, she appears wearing traditional Albanian dress, and interacts through voice commands and visual prompts. Her use is intended not only to streamline citizen access to services but now to add layers of transparency in government spending.
Public procurement has long been identified as one of the most corruption-prone sectors in Albania. Allegations of bias, bribery, and favoritism in tendering have been common. The appointment of Diella is meant to cut human bias and conflicts of interest, reduce bribery opportunities, and help restore trust, especially since Albania seeks membership in the European Union by 2030.
Still, some skepticism remains. Critics question whether an AI system can truly be immune to manipulation, or whether bias might creep in through data, system design, or oversight. Legal experts are also watching to see how accountability and supervision of Diella will be structured.
Sources
- Albania appoints AI bot as minister to tackle corruption – Reuters Reuters
- Albania appoints AI-powered ‘virtual minister’ to fight corruption in public procurement – The Indian Express The Indian Express
- TechXplore – Albania appoints AI-generated minister to avoid corruption Tech Xplore
