Albania appoints World's First 'AI Minister' to reduce corruption

TIRANA — On 11 September 2025 Prime Minister Edi Rama introduced Diella, an artificial intelligence powered virtual figure, as Albania’s Minister for Public Procurement, with the aim of reducing corruption in government tenders, as per Reuters report.

Diella’s name means “sun” in Albanian. Previously, she functioned since January as a virtual assistant on the e-Albania platform, helping citizens to access state services, obtain documents, and complete about one million digital interactions, according to AP News and you can see Diella AI in action on Albanian government website right below in the screenshot:

In her new role, Diella AI Minister will handle the evaluation and awarding of all government public tenders. Rama stated that public procurement will now be “100 percent free of corruption.”

Not all parties in Albanian politics accept her status.

The opposition Democratic Party argues that Diella’s appointment violates the constitution, and legal experts say the government has not yet disclosed what oversight or controls will be in place to prevent misuse of the so-called world’s first AI minister.

Public procurement in Albania has long been criticized for graft and opaque practices. Analysts observe that centralized oversight by an AI system like Diella might reduce human interference in these processes and eventually reduce corruption.

Diella’s visual representation includes traditional Albanian attire. Her avatar’s voice comes from Anila Bisha, who is also credited with providing the likeness.

According to The Guardian, Diella AI minister will begin assuming procurement duties in phases. Ministries will gradually transfer control over tender decisions to the navel AI system.

Albania has expressed a goal of European Union membership by 2030. Tackling corruption has been one of the benchmarks for EU accession. This move could signal that Albania is responding to those benchmarks and will soon pass this test.

Public sentiment is mixed.

Some citizens welcome this development as a step toward cleaner governance and calling it a futuristic approach. Others question whether an AI system can be immune to bias or political influence and is there any guarantee that other AI technologies can’t make this AI minister worthless.

So, Diella’s appointment as the world’s first AI-minister introduces new questions about legal frameworks and accountability rather than simple innovations. Whether Diella’s oversight mechanisms will satisfy constitutional standards remains unsettled.

If successful, Albania may become a case study in artificial intelligence use in governance.