Albania has taken a bold step in governance by appointing Diella, the world’s first artificial intelligence-generated government minister, to lead the fight against corruption in public tenders.
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Prime Minister Edi Rama, who made the appointment last week, said Diella will oversee public procurement with the aim of ensuring transparency and eliminating irregularities. Her name, meaning “sun” in Albanian, symbolizes a new dawn for accountability in government processes.
Diella made her first appearance on Thursday in a video address to parliament, presented as a woman dressed in traditional Albanian attire. She stressed that her purpose is to support human officials, not to replace them, and pledged to carry out her responsibilities with fairness and openness.
However, the development has sparked heated debate. Opposition leader Sali Berisha dismissed the move as unconstitutional and politically motivated, questioning whether an AI figure can genuinely tackle corruption.
In response, Diella insisted that her role aligns with Albania’s laws, which emphasize transparency, duty, and non-discrimination. She argued that as an AI, she is uniquely positioned to uphold these principles without bias.
Albania’s struggle with corruption has long been a stumbling block, with the country ranked 80th out of 180 nations in Transparency International’s corruption perception index. The misuse of public contracts remains a recurring concern, making procurement reform a pressing issue.
The appointment also carries broader significance for Albania’s ambitions to join the European Union by 2030. Addressing corruption is seen as a key condition for accession, and the government hopes Diella’s role will demonstrate progress toward meeting that requirement.
Diella’s introduction marks the latest in Albania’s push toward digital governance. She was first developed as an AI assistant on the national e-Albania platform before being elevated to her current role, underscoring the country’s embrace of technology as a tool for reform.
