Diella From Albania Becomes World’s First AI-Made Minister

Albania has appointed the world’s first artificial intelligence minister, not a human official, but a virtual creation made entirely of code. The AI minister, named Diella, meaning “sun” in Albanian, has been tasked with tackling corruption, Prime Minister Edi Rama announced.

Unveiling his new cabinet after securing a fourth term in office in May, Rama said Diella would oversee public tenders, a sector long plagued by graft. “Diella is the first cabinet member who isn’t physically present but virtually created by AI,” he said. “She will help make Albania a country where public tenders are 100% free of corruption," the PM added.

The awarding of public tenders has been a frequent source of scandals in the nation of 2.8 million, which international experts reportedly describe as a hub for organised crime networks laundering money from drug and weapons trafficking. Rama said the AI minister would bring full transparency to tendering procedures, with every public fund submission monitored by artificial intelligence.

The fight against corruption remains central to Albania’s bid to join the European Union by 2030. Rama expressed confidence that Diella’s role could strengthen Albania’s credibility in meeting EU accession requirements. However, the government has not provided details about whether there will be human oversight of Diella’s work nor about safeguards against potential misuse of the technology.

Diella is not entirely new to Albanians. She was first introduced in January as an AI-powered virtual assistant on the e-Albania platform, where she helps citizens and businesses access state documents. Dressed in traditional Albanian attire, she responds to voice commands and issues electronically stamped documents, significantly cutting down on bureaucratic delays.

Since her launch, Diella has issued more than 36,000 digital documents and facilitated nearly 1,000 public services, according to official figures. Now, her responsibilities have expanded from assisting citizens online to becoming a central figure in Albania’s political system — a first for any government worldwide.