Albania names virtual AI minister Diella to oversee procurement.
Albania has become the first country to hand a cabinet portfolio to a virtual figure. The newly created AI minister, known as Diella, will be responsible for monitoring public procurement and government contracts.
Prime Minister Edi Rama unveiled Diella at a Socialist Party gathering in Tirana. “She is not a person you can shake hands with, but a creation of code and pixels,” Rama told delegates. “Her job will be to guarantee that tenders are fair, transparent, and beyond corruption.”
From e-services to cabinet office
Diella is not an entirely new face to Albanians. For several years she has been the avatar of e-Albania, the digital portal through which citizens can apply for documents, pay taxes or request services. Dressed in the form of a young woman in traditional costume, she has already become a symbol of the government’s digital push.
Now her remit is wider. According to Rama, all tender decisions will gradually flow into her system. “This is not science fiction, this is her duty,” he said. The idea is to reduce human interference in procurement, a sector often flagged for corruption.
Comparisons abroad
Albania is not the first state to bring AI into official politics. The United Arab Emirates appointed a Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence back in 2017, though that was a human politician tasked with shaping AI policy. What sets Tirana apart is that Diella herself is an algorithm — a virtual official rather than a flesh-and-blood minister.
Divided opinions at home
Reaction inside Albania has been mixed. Some citizens praise the move as bold and overdue in a country where misuse of public money is a constant complaint. Others worry about accountability. Who is responsible if the AI system makes a questionable call? Will there be a human appeal process?
Critics also point out that Albania still ranks poorly in EU corruption reports. “An avatar may look fresh, but the deeper question is whether political elites will let her do the job,” one opposition MP told local media.
According to Albanian politicians, the AI minister is incorruptible, so he will be able to significantly solve the problem of corruption in the country. It is precisely because of the high corruption rates that Albania is still a candidate for the European Union, and not a full member of the European community.
Let us recall that the idea of creating an AI minister in Albania has been discussed for the last year. The country’s Prime Minister, Edi Rama, proposed the idea of creating a ministry.
