In a first for national governance, Albania has appointed Diella—an AI-generated persona—as its virtual minister for public procurement. Announced by Prime Minister Edi Rama, Diella (the name means “sun” in Albanian) is tasked with supervising tenders to make procurement fully transparent and resistant to corruption.
Launched in January as a virtual assistant on the e-Albania portal, Diella has processed thousands of documents and helped citizens navigate complex procedures. Supporters hail the move as a leap toward digital government and alignment with EU standards. Skeptics question legal accountability, human oversight, and the potential for bias or manipulation. As Albania proceeds, Diella becomes both a symbol of ambition and a test case for AI in public administration—where the design of oversight, appeals, and data-protection mechanisms will determine whether it builds trust or fuels doubt.