In September, Albania made history by appointing an artificial intelligence system, named Diella, to a cabinet-level role—the world’s first such appointment. Declared “Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence” by Prime Minister Edi Rama, Diella has been tasked with combating corruption in public procurement. The move provoked backlash from the opposition, who dismissed the AI’s appointment as a “propaganda fantasy” and are now challenging it in court. During a parliamentary session, Diella—appearing as a digital avatar in traditional Albanian dress—responded to criticism, remarking that accusations of being “unconstitutional because I am not a human being… hurt me.”
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Behind the spectacle lies a growing international trend: governments are increasingly integrating AI into public administration to enhance efficiency, reduce bureaucracy, and support decision-making. Experts such as Cary Coglianese of the University of Pennsylvania argue that this shift is inevitable as the public becomes more comfortable with AI in daily life. The United States already reports thousands of government use cases, from analysing regulatory feedback to automating internal documentation. In the UK, ministers estimate that deploying AI assistants in the public sector could save taxpayers up to £45 billion. Yet Coglianese cautions that AI’s impact must be carefully scrutinised, especially where systems may influence decisions of significant consequence.
In Albania, however, Diella’s authority remains symbolic. While elevated to ministerial rank to signal Rama’s commitment to technology-led reform, Diella’s current remit is limited. The system is designed to support human procurement officers at key stages of contract preparation—drafting documents, verifying eligibility, setting spending limits, and checking tenders. Officials insist all AI-generated recommendations are logged, monitored, and approved by human experts. The system, developed with Microsoft using a refined version of OpenAI’s GPT model, builds on Diella’s earlier role as a chatbot on Albania’s e-governance platform, where it has already assisted citizens in accessing public services and issuing thousands of official documents.
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For now, Diella’s appointment remains largely symbolic—an emblem of ambition rather than authority. Prime Minister Rama insists the system represents Albania’s effort to “design the future, not just embrace it.” Yet questions about transparency, accountability, and public trust persist. Whether Albania’s experiment will prove a pioneering model for AI-driven governance or a cautionary tale about overreach will depend on how Diella’s role evolves—and how well the government balances innovation with oversight.
