Diella, world's first AI minister: Albania's technopolitical bet

When will artificial intelligences really take our place at work? The question is no longer just science fiction. Today, we either have to cooperate with them, or we risk being sidelined. And in Albania, the surprise is total: even ministers are now being challenged by an AI. Its name is Diella, and it has just made a spectacular entrance within the Tirana government.

AI, the new anti-corruption weapon in public markets

Albania, regularly singled out by the European Union for its corruption scandals, is trying a radical approach. Prime Minister Edi Rama appointed Diella, an avatar generated by artificial intelligence, as the minister responsible for public markets.

The goal is clear: to make every tender “100% incorruptible” and “100% readable.”

Rama explained that procurement decisions would be taken away from ministries and entrusted to AI.

Diella is the first government member who is not physically present but virtually created by artificial intelligence.

The symbolism is strong. Albania hopes to turn a historic wound into a technological showcase, at a time when the country aims to join the EU by 2030. But the challenge goes beyond technology: it is a political and institutional bet.

Diella, between tradition and digital innovation

Diella does not come out of nowhere. She already exists through e-Albania, the online platform that allows citizens to access 95% of public services. In 2025, more than one million requests were processed thanks to her system. For her transition to “minister,” the AI received an avatar of a young woman dressed in traditional Albanian costume, a symbol of a marriage between culture and modernity.

The partnership with Microsoft and the National Agency for the Information Society allowed the integration of the latest AI models. On September 19, she even spoke before the Parliament via two screens, delivering a three-minute speech. In her intervention, the AI declared:

I am not here to replace humans but to help them. I have no citizenship, no ambition, nor personal interests.

In sum, Diella does not intend to be a threat, but a tool designed to streamline and make state action more transparent.

An AI minister, between enthusiasm and democratic concerns

Despite the enthusiasm displayed by the government, the parliamentary opposition cries illegality. Deputies question the legitimacy of a “minister” with no citizenship or humanity. Some even left the hemicycle, boycotting the vote which was nevertheless approved with 82 votes out of 140.

Criticism also flows in the public space. On social networks, an ironic comment highlights the general atmosphere: in Albania, some believe that even Diella will end up corrupted.

These reactions reveal a deep concern. Can a ministerial mission be truly entrusted to an AI without weakening democracy? The debate is open, because behind the argument of transparency, hides the fear of a power increasingly entrusted to algorithms.

Some key figures to remember

• 2025: Diella becomes the world’s first AI minister;
• 82 votes: parliamentary adoption despite opposition boycott;
• 95%: public services already accessible via e-Albania;
• 2030: Albania’s stated goal for EU accession.

Fears linked to artificial intelligences are legitimate, but one thing seems certain: they will accompany humanity in its next challenges. Far from dulling us, they can even push us further. Recently, a Google AI managed to solve a mathematical problem considered impossible. A breakthrough that shows the future of man and machines will be written, one way or another, together.