Shocking decision in Albania! AI bot appointed as 'Minister' to fight corruption

In a first for Albania, Prime Minister Edi Rama announced the appointment of an AI-generated bot as a minister in his new cabinet. Dubbed "Diella," this AI will be responsible for administering the country's public procurement and ensuring transparency.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, who is about to begin his fourth term, said on Thursday that Diella, meaning "sun" in Albanian, will manage and award all public tenders through which the government contracts private companies for various projects.

"Diella is the first cabinet member who is not physically present but virtually created by AI," Rama said in his speech announcing his new cabinet. He will help Albania become "a country where public procurement is 100% corruption-free." 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 trying to launder money from drug and arms trafficking worldwide, and where corruption has reached the corridors of power.

This image has made it difficult for Albania to join the European Union, which Rama wants to achieve by 2030 but which political analysts say is ambitious.

The government did not elaborate on what kind of human oversight there might be for Diella or address the risks that someone could manipulate the AI ​​bot.

Diella first launched earlier this year as an AI-powered virtual assistant on the e-Albania platform, helping citizens and businesses obtain government documents. Dressed in traditional Albanian garb, she provides assistance via voice commands and reduces bureaucratic delays by issuing electronically stamped documents.

Not everyone is convinced. One Facebook user said: "Even Diella will be corrupted in Albania." Another added: "The theft will continue and Diella will be blamed."

But not everyone is convinced. Some social media users commented, "Even Diella will become corrupt in Albania." Experts also highlight the risk of AI being manipulated.

This development is seen as an important step towards transparency in Albania's European Union membership process.