Albania has made history by appointing the world’s first artificial intelligence-generated government minister to oversee public tenders, a move Prime Minister Edi Rama says will guarantee transparency and curb corruption.
Introducing the virtual appointee on Thursday during a Socialist Party meeting after his party’s May election win, Rama unveiled “Diella,” an AI-powered figure named after the Albanian word for “sun.”
“Diella is the first (government) member who is not physically present, but virtually created by artificial intelligence,” Rama said. “She will ensure that all decisions on public tenders are 100 percent corruption-free, and every public fund submitted to the tender procedure will be perfectly transparent.”
Diella, designed to resemble a woman in traditional Albanian dress, was first launched in January as a digital assistant for citizens using the government’s e-Albania platform. According to official records, it has already processed 36,600 digital documents and supported nearly 1,000 services.
Rama stressed that the innovative appointment reflects his administration’s determination to combat corruption, which remains one of the toughest hurdles in Albania’s push to join the European Union. “This is a crucial step in meeting the standards required for EU membership,” he added.
The prime minister, who is beginning his fourth term in office, is expected to present his full cabinet to parliament in the coming days. Albania, with a population of 2.8 million, is aiming to secure EU entry by 2030.
