Albania Makes History by Appointing AI as Virtual Cabinet Minister for Procurement

Albania has elevated its AI virtual assistant Diella to ministerial status, marking the first time a digital entity has been tasked with overseeing public procurement to combat corruption. Prime Minister Edi Rama announced this groundbreaking move, stating that Diella will serve as the "servant of public procurement" with the goal of ensuring "100 percent transparent and legible" spending of public funds.

Diella was initially launched to handle citizen inquiries, achieving over 1.2 million interactions and substantially reducing administrative delays. The AI's promotion to cabinet-level position represents a significant shift in AI governance and aligns with Albania's EU accession efforts by addressing systemic corruption through technological solutions.

While this development demonstrates Albania's commitment to transparency and digital transformation, experts note potential challenges related to accountability and oversight in AI-led decision-making. The move is being closely monitored by global governance and regulatory circles as it could set legal and technological precedents for other nations considering AI integration in government functions.