Albania has broken new ground on the global stage by swearing in the world’s first artificial intelligence–powered minister, a virtual official designed to fight corruption in public procurement.
Unveiled by Prime Minister Edi Rama at the Socialist Party assembly in Tirana, the digital minister named Diella, meaning “sunshine” in Albanian, will take charge of all public tenders, a sector long plagued by graft and opacity.
“Diella is the first member not physically present, but virtually created by artificial intelligence,” Rama told party members as he presented his unusual cabinet appointee, the only non-human figure in government.
The prime minister described Diella as “the servant of public procurement,” announcing that decisions on tenders would gradually shift from human ministries into the hands of the AI system.
“The rollout will be step-by-step,” he explained, “but the end goal is to make Albania a country where public tenders are 100 per cent incorruptible and where every public fund that goes through the tender procedure is 100 per cent legible.”
“This is not science fiction, but the duty of Diella,” Rama declared.
The appointment makes good on hints Rama dropped earlier in the summer about the possibility of Albania one day having a digital minister, or even an AI prime minister. Few, however, expected such a swift leap into reality.
Though now promoted to ministerial rank, Diella is not entirely unfamiliar to Albanians. She already powers the government’s e-Albania digital services platform, which provides online access to nearly all state services.
Her avatar, designed as a young woman in traditional Albanian dress, has been introduced to the public.
In addition to managing procurement, Rama revealed that Diella has been tasked with recruiting “talents here from all over the world,” and with dismantling “the fear of prejudice and rigidity of the administration.”
The move underscores Rama’s determination to tackle corruption, a persistent challenge highlighted in the European Union’s annual rule of law reports on Albania.
Having secured a historic fourth term in May 2025, the prime minister has also pledged to push the country toward EU membership by 2030.
