Albania has formally unveiled an artificial intelligence system as part of its government, with the goal of improving efficiency in public administration and tackling corruption.
The AI, named Diella — meaning “sun” in Albanian — was incorporated into Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Cabinet following a parliamentary vote supported by the ruling Socialist Party, despite resistance from opposition lawmakers.
Although Diella is not listed as a minister in the official Cabinet document signed by President Bajram Begaj, the directive assigns Rama responsibility for establishing and overseeing the virtual “Minister for Artificial Intelligence.”
Previously deployed as a chatbot on government websites, Diella is visually represented as a woman in traditional Albanian attire, modeled after actress Anila Bisha, according to local media reports.
Rama described the AI as a project that will connect Albanian experts, diaspora talent, and foreign specialists to transform public institutions into platforms for AI development.
During Friday’s parliamentary session, Diella appeared via video, introducing herself as the state minister for artificial intelligence and stating her mission to “facilitate government work daily.”
However, experts and political opponents have raised concerns. Technology analyst Erjon Curraj, writing in Balkan Insight, acknowledged that AI could assist in areas like public procurement but stressed that accountability for decisions must remain with humans.
Opposition leader Gazment Bardhi dismissed the initiative as “a propaganda fantasy” aimed at distracting from corruption allegations. He also argued that the move violates the constitution, which stipulates that ministers must be Albanian citizens of legal age and sound mind.