Albania Appoints World's First AI 'Minister' to Combat Corruption

Albania's PM wants to appoint an AI to his ministry

Incorruptible e-government AnswerBot 'Djella', which reportedly runs in Azure, given job of running public procurement Albania's prime minister has proposed appointing an artificial intelligence as a minister. Speaking at his socialist party's annual conference yesterday, prime minister Edi Rama named his planned ministry, and suggested the nation's government services chatbot "Djella" for a promotion to the ministry. According to a session description for the 2025 European Political Community Summit, which Albania hosted in May 2025, Djella started life in 2024 as a virtual assistant that Albanian citizens could use to answer questions about government services. Version 2.0, launched in early 2025, was "an intelligent avatar integrating natural language understanding with vocal and visual interaction, providing real-time information for public services and online applications on e-Albania." By the time of the conference, Djella 3.0 was up and running and offered "full interaction through voice commands, allowing citizens to complete service requests using simple, conversational language -- marking a major step forward in digital government accessibility." Local news reports suggest Djella runs on Microsoft's Azure OpenAI service, plus "the latest artificial intelligence models" from the software giant. In his speech, Rama said he expects his new ministers to increase the pace of innovation, likening their role to that of a basketball coach who makes constant personnel and tactical shifts, rather than a football coach who makes just three substitutions in each match. The PM wants Djella to "become the servant of public procurements", all of which he wants conducted by AI, "making Albania a country where public tenders are 100 percent incorruptible and where every public fund that goes through the tender procedure is 100 percent legible." "This is not science fiction, but it is one of Djella's duties," Rama added. "Djella's mandate will have neither geographical nor nationality limits, and the structure supporting it will have the authorization to hire here, or contract talents from all over the world." Albania's constitution makes several mentions of "legal persons" and includes "a pledge to protect human dignity and personhood." It also requires the PM to seek approval for ministerial appointments from the nation's president, and for incoming ministers to swear before the president. His excellency Bajram Begaj, for it is he who holds the office of president, will therefore have the final word on whether Djella can become a minister. ®

Albania appoints AI bot as minister to tackle corruption

PRISTINA, Sept 11 (Reuters) - A new minister in Albania charged to handle public procurement will be impervious to bribes, threats, or attempts to curry favour. That is because Diella, as she is called, is an AI-generated bot. Prime Minister Edi Rama, who is about to begin his fourth term, said on Thursday that Diella, which means "sun" in Albanian, will manage and award all public tenders in which the government contracts private companies for various projects. "Diella is the first cabinet member who isn't physically present, but is virtually created by AI," Rama said during a speech unveiling his new cabinet. She will help make Albania "a country where public tenders are 100% free of corruption." The awarding of such contracts has long been a source of corruption scandals in Albania, a Balkan country that experts say is a hub for gangs seeking to launder their money from trafficking drugs and weapons across the world, and where graft has reached the corridors of power. That image has complicated Albania's accession to the European Union, which Rama wants to achieve by 2030 but which political analysts say is ambitious. The government did not provide details of what human oversight there might be for Diella, or address risks that someone could manipulate the artificial intelligence bot. Diella originally launched early this year as an AI-powered virtual assistant on the e-Albania platform, helping citizens and businesses obtain state documents. Dressed in traditional Albanian attire, she provides assistance through voice commands and issues documents with electronic stamps, reducing bureaucratic delays. Not everyone is convinced. One Facebook user said: "Even Diella will be corrupted in Albania." Another said: "Stealing will continue and Diella will be blamed." The new parliament, elected in May, is scheduled to convene on Friday, though it remains unclear if the government will be voted on the same day. Reporting by Florion Goga, writing by Fatos Bytyci Editing by Rod Nickel Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Albania puts AI-created 'minister' in charge of public procurement

Edi Rama, PM, says digital assistant Diella will make Albania 'a country where public tenders are 100% free of corruption' A digital assistant that helps people navigate government services online has become the first "virtually created" AI cabinet minister and put in charge of public procurement in an attempt to cut down on corruption, the Albanian prime minister has said. Diella, which means Sun in Albanian, has been advising users on the state's e-Albania portal since January, helping them through voice commands with the full range of bureaucratic tasks they need to perform in order to access about 95% of citizen services digitally. "Diella, the first cabinet member who is not physically present, but has been virtually created by AI", would help make Albania "a country where public tenders are 100% free of corruption", Edi Rama said on Thursday. Announcing the makeup of his fourth consecutive government at the ruling Socialist party conference in Tirana, Rama said Diella, who on the e-Albania portal is dressed in traditional Albanian costume, would become "the servant of public procurement". Responsibility for deciding the winners of public tenders would be removed from government ministries in a "step-by-step" process and handled by artificial intelligence to ensure "all public spending in the tender process is 100% clear", he said. Diella would examine every tender in which the government contracts private companies and objectively assess the merits of each, announced Rama, who was re-elected in May and has previously said he sees AI as a potentially effective anti-corruption tool that would eliminate bribes, threats and conflicts of interest. Public tenders have long been a source of corruption scandals in Albania, which experts say is a hub for international gangs seeking to launder money from trafficking drugs and weapons and where graft has extended into the upper reaches of government. Local media praised the move as "a major transformation in the way the Albanian government conceives and exercises administrative power, introducing technology not only as a tool, but also as an active participant in governance". Not everyone was convinced, however. "In Albania, even Diella will be corrupted," commented one Facebook user.

Albania appoints world's first AI government 'minister' to root out co

The digital assistant, called Diella, is pictured as a woman dressed in traditional Albanian garb. Albania has appointed the world's first artificial intelligence-generated government "minister", aiming to make the country "corruption-free". The digital assistant is called Diella, meaning Sun, and has been advising people how to navigate government services online since January. On Thursday, Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama announced the digital minister to his cabinet. "Diella is the first [government] member who is not physically present, but virtually created by artificial intelligence," Rama said. Diella will be entrusted with all decisions on public tenders, making them "100 per cent corruption-free," he said, adding that "every public fund submitted to the tender procedure will be perfectly transparent". Deciding on who wins public tenders will be removed from government ministries in a "step-by-step" process, Rama said, adding that AI would ensure "all public spending in the tender process is 100 per cent clear". Corruption in Albania is a sticking point for the country, which aims to join the European Union by 2030. Last year, the country ranked 80 out of 180 countries in Transparency International's corruption index, which ranks countries by their perceived levels of corruption in the public sector. Rama is expected to announce his cabinet in the coming days following his reelection win in May. Since its launch, Diella has been pictured as a woman dressed in traditional Albanian garb. It is unclear if it will keep its current form.

Albania appoints AI-generated minister to avoid corruption

Tirana (Albania) (AFP) - Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said Thursday he had appointed the world's first AI-generated government minister to oversee public tenders, promising its artificial intelligence would make it "corruption-free". Presenting his new cabinet at a meeting of his Socialist Party following a big May election victory, Rama introduced the new "member", named "Diella" -- "sun" in Albanian. "Diella is the first (government) member who is not physically present, but virtually created by artificial intelligence," Rama said. Diella will be entrusted with all decisions on public tenders, making them "100-percent corruption-free and every public fund submitted to the tender procedure will be perfectly transparent", he added. Diella was launched in January as an AI-powered virtual assistant -- resembling a woman dressed in traditional Albanian costume -- to help people use the official e-Albania platform that provides documents and services. So far, it has helped issue 36,600 digital documents and provided nearly 1,000 services through the platform, according to official figures. Rama, who secured a fourth term in office in the elections, is due to present his new cabinet to lawmakers in the coming days. The fight against corruption, particularly in the public administration, is a key criterion in Albania's bid to join the European Union. Rama aspires to lead the Balkan nation of 2.8 million people into the political bloc by 2030.

Albania's AI virtual assistant Diella just got promoted to 'minister'

Albania has turned to AI bot Diella to tackle public procurement, aiming to rein in the Balkan country's long-standing issues with corruption and organized crime. Albania's government AI-powered virtual assistant, which helps citizens obtain everything from driver's licenses to pension applications and court filings, has just become one of the world's first AI politicians. "Diella is the first cabinet member who isn't physically present, but is virtually created by AI," and jas been tasked with keeping Albania "100% free of corruption," Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama reportedly said in a National Assembly of the Socialist Party on Thursday. Its task will be to oversee all government procurement of goods and services from the private sector, which has led to a series of corruption scandals in Albania in recent decades. Reports state that Diella, which means "sun" in Albanian, had been serving as an AI-powered virtual assistant on the e-Albania platform, helping citizens and businesses obtain various state documents through voice commands and issuing documents with electronic stamps to reduce bureaucratic delays. Diella has reportedly helped issue more than 36,600 digital documents and provided nearly 1,000 services through the platform. Rama, however, didn't provide much detail on who would be accountable for mistakes made by Diella, what human oversight would exist, or how risks of the AI being manipulated would be handled. It marks one of the first major government roles held by an AI bot in history. Last May, Ukraine unveiled "Victoria Shi," an AI-generated spokesperson providing updates on matters of foreign affairs. Albania appears to have embraced AI more than crypto in recent years. While establishing a crypto regulatory framework in May 2020 -- one of the most comprehensive pieces of crypto legislation in Europe at the time -- the Bank of Albania has continued to issue warnings regarding the risks associated with trading crypto, slowing adoption. While Albania remains a peaceful country, it has long been a hot spot for organized crime, with some officials having been accused of benefiting from contracts. Earlier this year, Erion Veliaj, the mayor of Tirana, and Illir Meta, Albania's former president and leader of the opposition Freedom Party, were charged with corruption. In 2023, Lefter Koka, the country's former environmental minister, was sentenced to over six years in prison for accepting a 3.7 million euro ($4.34 million) bribe linked to a construction project. Related: Agentic AI project Eliza Labs sues Elon Musk's xAI Corruption has held Albania back from becoming a member of the European Union since it became a candidate country in 2014. Rama, however, is hopeful that his country will receive membership by 2030.

Albania Appoints AI Bot as Minister to Tackle Corruption

PRISTINA (Reuters) -A new minister in Albania charged to handle public procurement will be impervious to bribes, threats, or attempts to curry favour. That is because Diella, as she is called, is an AI-generated bot. Prime Minister Edi Rama, who is about to begin his fourth term, said on Thursday that Diella, which means "sun" in Albanian, will manage and award all public tenders in which the government contracts private companies for various projects. "Diella is the first cabinet member who isn't physically present, but is virtually created by AI," Rama said during a speech unveiling his new cabinet. She will help make Albania "a country where public tenders are 100% free of corruption." The awarding of such contracts has long been a source of corruption scandals in Albania, a Balkan country that experts say is a hub for gangs seeking to launder their money from trafficking drugs and weapons across the world, and where graft has reached the corridors of power. That image has complicated Albania's accession to the European Union, which Rama wants to achieve by 2030 but which political analysts say is ambitious. The government did not provide details of what human oversight there might be for Diella, or address risks that someone could manipulate the artificial intelligence bot. Diella originally launched early this year as an AI-powered virtual assistant on the e-Albania platform, helping citizens and businesses obtain state documents. Dressed in traditional Albanian attire, she provides assistance through voice commands and issues documents with electronic stamps, reducing bureaucratic delays. Not everyone is convinced. One Facebook user said: "Even Diella will be corrupted in Albania." Another said: "Stealing will continue and Diella will be blamed." The new parliament, elected in May, is scheduled to convene on Friday, though it remains unclear if the government will be voted on the same day. (Reporting by Florion Goga, writing by Fatos BytyciEditing by Rod Nickel)

Albania appoints AI bot as minister to tackle corruption - The Economic Times

Prime Minister Edi Rama, who is about to begin his fourth term, said on Thursday that Diella, which means "sun" in Albanian, will manage and award all public tenders in which the government contracts private companies for various projects.A new minister in Albania charged to handle public procurement will be impervious to bribes, threats, or attempts to curry favour. That is because Diella, as she is called, is an AI-generated bot. Prime Minister Edi Rama, who is about to begin his fourth term, said on Thursday that Diella, which means "sun" in Albanian, will manage and award all public tenders in which the government contracts private companies for various projects. "Diella is the first cabinet member who isn't physically present, but is virtually created by AI," Rama said during a speech unveiling his new cabinet. She will help make Albania "a country where public tenders are 100% free of corruption." The awarding of such contracts has long been a source of corruption scandals in Albania, a Balkan country that experts say is a hub for gangs seeking to launder their money from trafficking drugs and weapons across the world, and where graft has reached the corridors of power. That image has complicated Albania's accession to the European Union, which Rama wants to achieve by 2030 but which political analysts say is ambitious. The government did not provide details of what human oversight there might be for Diella, or address risks that someone could manipulate the artificial intelligence bot. Diella originally launched early this year as an AI-powered virtual assistant on the e-Albania platform, helping citizens and businesses obtain state documents. Dressed in traditional Albanian attire, she provides assistance through voice commands and issues documents with electronic stamps, reducing bureaucratic delays. Not everyone is convinced. One Facebook user said: "Even Diella will be corrupted in Albania." Another said: "Stealing will continue and Diella will be blamed." The new parliament, elected in May, is scheduled to convene on Friday, though it remains unclear if the government will be voted on the same day.

This country becomes the first to appoint AI bot as minister to handle corruption

Originally launched on the e-Albania platform, Diella now joins Prime Minister Rama's new cabinet. Albania has become the first country to appoint an AI-generated bot as a minister to oversee public procurement. The virtual official, called Diella, which means "sun" in Albanian, will manage all government tenders and contracts through which private companies carry out public projects. Prime Minister Edi Rama, who is beginning his fourth term, introduced Diella while announcing his new cabinet. "Diella is the first cabinet member who isn't physically present, but is virtually created by AI," Rama said. He added that her role is to ensure public tenders are "100% free of corruption." Public procurement has been one of Albania's most controversial issues for decades, with contracts often linked to corruption scandals. According to reports, criminal networks have used the Balkan nation as a hub for laundering money from drug and weapons trafficking. These problems have also slowed Albania's efforts to join the European Union, a goal Rama hopes to achieve by 2030. Diella, however, is not entirely new. She was first launched earlier this year as a virtual assistant on the e-Albania digital platform, where she assists citizens and businesses in applying for documents online. Dressed in traditional Albanian attire, Diella responds to voice commands, processes requests, and issues electronically stamped documents. Also read: Flipkart Big Billion Days sale 2025: Pixel 9, iPhone 16 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL will be available with massive discounts Now, with an appointment as minister, she has become the first AI bot to join governance across the globe. Although the government has not explained how much human oversight will be in place, or how risks of AI manipulation will be handled. Notably, Rama won a fourth consecutive term in the May elections and is expected to present his new cabinet to the parliament soon.