Albania has taken an unprecedented step by appointing a minister generated by artificial intelligence (AI) to oversee public contracts and reduce corruption that has historically affected the country.

The virtual figure, named Diella, aims to ensure transparent and efficient procurement processes but has sparked intense debate over ethics, effectiveness, and political responsibility. 

Prime Minister Edi Rama stated that with Diella, “procurement processes will be 100% corruption-free.” He highlighted that the virtual minister “never sleeps, has no personal interests, and has no cousins, and cousins are a major problem in Albania,” referring to frequent favoritism in government contracts.

Rama also mentioned that Diella would work with local experts, Albanians from the diaspora, and international consultants to optimize public administration. 

During a parliamentary session, Diella appeared on video presenting herself as “Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence,” declaring that her mission was to streamline government processes.

However, her appointment has been criticized by the opposition, which questions who will take responsibility for her decisions and how a non-human entity can be controlled. 

Digital transformation and cybersecurity experts warn about the limits of this initiative. Erjon Curraj explains that Diella will depend on the quality and consistency of the data and the models she relies on, likely a large language model (LLM) similar to ChatGPT.

“If the data is incomplete, biased, or outdated, she could misinterpret documents or overlook signs of collusion,” Curraj notes. 

Artificial intelligence for governing: the opinion of specialists

Jean-Gabriel Ganascia, philosopher and AI researcher, adds that LLMs reflect societal biases and there is no guarantee they can eradicate corruption. He also warns that delegating public decisions to machines could weaken democracy, eliminating deliberation and human accountability in decision-making. 

Diella uses the image of Albanian actress Anila Bisha, who authorized its use until December, and her internal functioning remains confidential. The opposition has appealed to the Constitutional Court to determine the legal responsibility of the AI and the validity of its administrative actions.

Albanian political analyst Lutfi Dervishi warns that if the system receives manipulated data, it could legitimize old corruption under a technological guise. 

Despite criticism, Rama promotes innovation as part of his communication strategy. Albania becomes a world pioneer in integrating a digital minister based on artificial intelligence, but experts insist that the success of this initiative will depend on transparency, human oversight, and the quality of the data feeding the system.