Albania Appoints AI ‘Minister’ to Overhaul Public Procurement

Albania has made a novel move in its fight against corruption by appointing an AI-generated bot, named Diella, as a minister responsible for public procurement. The appointment was confirmed by Prime Minister Edi Rama, who described Diella—which means “sun” in Albanian—as “the first cabinet member who isn’t physically present, but is virtually created by AI.”

Diella will oversee all public tenders and contract awards in government ministries, with the aim of making the procurement process “100% free of corruption.” The role will gradually remove responsibility from human ministers in awarding contracts, Mr. Rama said.

Originally launched earlier this year as an e-assistant on the e-Albania portal, Diella helps citizens and businesses navigate bureaucratic tasks online. She offers voice-command support, issues documents with electronic stamps, and has helped manage up to 95% of state services digitally.

Mr. Rama claimed that the move is part of a broader effort to restore public trust, reduce bribery, and eliminate interference, threats, or favoritism in public procurement. These issues have long plagued Albania, which has been criticized for corruption scandals and efforts by criminal gangs to use public funds and tender processes for laundering and illicit gain.

However, the government has not yet clarified what human oversight will be in place for Diella. Critics are already raising questions about how the system will guard against manipulation of the AI, or ensure transparency when decisions are made by a virtual entity.