Albania Appoints AI Minister Diella to Oversee Tenders, Tackle Corruption

Albania has appointed an AI-generated bot named Diella as a minister in charge of handling public procurement.

Prime Minister Edi Rama announced that Diella will manage and award all public tenders with the goal of eliminating corruption.

Rama highlighted that Diella, as a digital cabinet member, will remain unaffected by bribes, intimidation, or efforts to win her favour.

Public tenders in Albania have historically been a major source of corruption scandals that have hindered the country’s reputation and EU accession goals.

Diella means “sun” in Albanian and is the first cabinet member who exists only virtually. The government has not clarified what level of human oversight will be in place or how to prevent possible manipulation of the AI system.

Diella was initially launched on the e-Albania platform as a digital assistant to help citizens obtain official documents electronically and reduce bureaucracy.

Some citizens have expressed scepticism online, claiming that corruption would persist and Diella could end up being blamed.