Albania has taken a groundbreaking step in integrating artificial intelligence into its government by appointing Diella, an AI-powered virtual assistant, as its Minister of Public Procurement. The announcement was made on September 11, 2025, by Prime Minister Edi Rama, who is embarking on his fourth term. Diella's promotion marks a historic moment as she becomes the first "virtually created" AI cabinet member, tasked with ensuring transparency and eliminating corruption in government tenders.
Diella, whose name means "sun" in Albanian, was initially launched earlier this year as an AI assistant on the e-Albania platform. In this role, she streamlined bureaucratic processes by assisting citizens and businesses in obtaining state documents electronically. Dressed in traditional Albanian attire in her digital avatar, Diella guides users through voice commands and issues documents with electronic stamps, significantly reducing delays. According to official figures, she has already facilitated the issuance of over 36,600 digital documents and provided nearly 1,000 services through the platform.
Prime Minister Rama has expressed strong confidence that Diella will revolutionize public procurement in Albania. He stated that entrusting all decisions on public tenders to Diella would make the process "100-percent corruption-free" and ensure complete transparency in the use of public funds. Responsibility for deciding the winners of public tenders will be removed from government ministries in a "step-by-step" process and handled by artificial intelligence. By objectively assessing the merits of each tender, Diella is expected to eliminate opportunities for bribes, threats, and conflicts of interest, which have long plagued Albania's public sector.
The appointment of Diella comes at a crucial time for Albania, as the nation strives to meet the stringent requirements for joining the European Union. Combating corruption, particularly in public administration, is a key criterion for EU accession, and Rama hopes to lead Albania into the political bloc by 2030. By entrusting Diella with the oversight of public procurement, the government aims to demonstrate its commitment to good governance and transparency.
Despite the optimism surrounding Diella's appointment, some skepticism and concerns have been raised. Questions remain about the extent of human oversight that will be in place to monitor Diella's decisions and prevent potential manipulation of the AI system. The government has not yet provided specific details on these safeguards. Some Albanians have also expressed doubts about whether even an AI minister can remain immune from corruption in a country where it has been so pervasive. One Facebook user quipped, "Even Diella will be corrupted in Albania," while another remarked, "Stealing will continue and Diella will be blamed".
Regardless of the concerns, Diella's appointment signifies a bold step towards leveraging AI for governance and fighting corruption. If successful, this initiative could pave the way for similar AI-driven reforms in other sectors and potentially inspire governments worldwide to explore the use of AI in promoting transparency and efficiency. As Albania moves forward with this experiment, the world will be watching to see if Diella can truly illuminate a corruption-free path and usher in a new era of AI-driven governance.
