Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama announced the appointment of the world’s first artificial intelligence minister.
The AI system, called Diella, will oversee all public tenders. Rama said this will make the process “100 percent corruption-free” and fully transparent.
The announcement came during the presentation of his new cabinet. Rama’s Socialist Party secured a strong victory in the May elections, giving him a fourth term in office.
Diella
Diella is not a person but a digital creation. Its name means “sun” in Albanian, symbolizing clarity and openness.
Rama described Diella as a cabinet member “not physically present but virtually created by AI.”
The AI will manage every stage of public procurement. From publishing calls for bids to reviewing applications, Diella will handle the process without human influence.
All transactions will be logged and visible to the public. This, Rama argued, removes the space for favoritism and bribery.
A Familiar Tool
Diella is not entirely new to Albanians. Earlier this year, the government introduced it on the e-Albania digital platform.
There, it assists citizens in obtaining documents and services. Since January, Diella has helped issue more than 36,000 digital documents. It has also provided close to 1,000 services online.
Its familiar presence on the platform, presented as a woman in traditional Albanian clothing, has made it easier for citizens to adapt to the new system.
A First
Governments worldwide have experimented with AI in smaller roles. Chatbots answer questions in tax offices.
Algorithms manage city traffic or analyze healthcare data. Yet Albania has gone further by elevating an AI system to ministerial rank.
However, this is a global first that has attracted attention far beyond Albania’s borders. It represents a daring solution to one of the country’s deepest problems.
