Tirana (TIP)- Artificial intelligence, which is rapidly spreading across every sector, has now entered politics. Albania has become the first nation to appoint an AI-generated “minister” tasked with tackling corruption.
On Thursday, Sept 11, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama announced that he had appointed the world’s first AI-generated government minister to oversee public tenders, assuring that its artificial intelligence would make the process “corruption-free”, news agency AFP reported.
Revealing his new cabinet during a Socialist Party meeting after a decisive election win in May, Rama introduced the new “member, ” Diella, which in Albanian means “sun.”
“Diella is the first (government) member who is not physically present, but virtually created by artificial intelligence,” Rama said.
Rama, who won a fourth consecutive term in the May elections, is expected to present his new cabinet to the parliament in the coming days.
Diella’s role in public tenders: Prime Minister Rama said that Diella will manage all decisions related to public tenders, ensuring they are “100 per cent corruption-free and every public fund submitted to the tender procedure will be perfectly transparent”.
Origins as a virtual assistant: Diella was initially introduced in January as an AI-powered digital assistant, designed to resemble a woman dressed in traditional Albanian attire. It was meant to help citizens navigate the official e-Albania platform, which offers access to documents and services.
Services already provided: According to government figures quoted by AFP, Diella has so far facilitated the issuing of 36,600 digital documents and delivered nearly 1,000 services via the platform.
Corruption challenges in Albania: Public tenders in Albania have historically been at the centre of corruption scandals. Experts highlight that the country has become a hub for international criminal networks laundering profits from drug and arms trafficking, with corruption reportedly reaching into senior levels of government, according to The Guardian.
Praise from Albanian media: Local media described the appointment of Diella as “a major transformation in the way the Albanian government conceives and exercises administrative power, introducing technology not only as a tool, but also as an active participant in governance”.
Link to EU accession bid: The crackdown on corruption, especially within the public sector, remains a crucial benchmark for Albania’s efforts to join the European Union.