Albania Appoints AI Minister Diella

Albania Appoints AI Minister Diella

Albania Appoints AI ‘Minister’ to Tackle Corruption

TIRANA, Albania — Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has unveiled a unique addition to his new cabinet following his Socialist Party’s decisive victory in May’s elections: an AI-powered “minister” named Diella, which means “sun” in Albanian.

“Diella is the first government member who is not physically present, but virtually created by artificial intelligence,” Rama announced at a party meeting.

The AI minister will oversee all public tender processes, promising them to be “100 percent corruption-free,” with complete transparency for every public fund involved, he added.

Originally launched in January as a virtual assistant, Diella — depicted as a woman in traditional Albanian attire — assists citizens in navigating the e-Albania platform, the government’s digital service hub. According to official statistics, the AI assistant has already issued 36,600 digital documents and delivered nearly 1,000 services.

Rama, who secured a fourth term in office, is expected to present his full cabinet to lawmakers in the coming days.

Fighting corruption in public administration remains a critical priority for Albania as it seeks to join the European Union, with Rama aiming to integrate the 2.8 million-strong Balkan nation into the bloc by 2030.