The Albanian government has appointed an AI-powered virtual minister, Diella, to oversee state procurement and contract awards, aiming to curb corruption in a sector long plagued by scandal.
Diella—whose name means “sun” in Albanian—will manage the tendering process for government projects. Officials expect the bot to minimise opportunities for graft and enhance transparency in procurement procedures.
Prime Minister Edi Rama, starting his fourth term, introduced Diella on 11 September 2025. “Diella is the first cabinet member who isn’t physically present, but is virtually created by AI,” he declared while presenting his new ministers. He added that the system would support his ambition to make Albania “a country where public tenders are 100% free of corruption.”
Rama underscored that, unlike human officials, Diella will resist bribes, coercion and political pressure. Reuters reported that the system’s architecture isolates it from external influences, allowing it to operate independently.
Despite official assurances, observers still question the oversight framework. The government has not specified whether human supervisors will monitor Diella’s decisions or how it will guard against possible manipulation of its algorithms.
Diella first appeared earlier this year on the e-Albania platform as a digital assistant. Clad in traditional costume, she helped citizens and businesses navigate bureaucratic procedures, using voice commands to generate electronically authenticated documents and cutting down long delays.
The move sparked scepticism among the public. On Facebook, one user commented: “Even Diella will be corrupted in Albania.” Another predicted: “Stealing will continue, and Diella will be blamed.”
Procurement irregularities have repeatedly delayed Albania’s path towards European Union membership. By entrusting contract allocation to an AI system, Tirana seeks to tackle entrenched malpractice—though critics warn that technology alone cannot eradicate deep-rooted corruption.
Albania’s experiment with Diella coincides with a broader push for AI in governance. In Nigeria, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke recently laid the foundation for Curators University in Modakeke, billed as Africa’s first institution dedicated to AI. Its founder, Olusola Amusan, stressed the importance of artificial intelligence in transforming higher education.