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For the first time in government, Albania has appointed an artificial intelligence (AI) bot, Diella, as its new minister for public procurement. Prime Minister Edi Rama announced the appointment on Thursday during a Socialist Party assembly in Tirana, marking a significant step toward integrating AI into government operations.
Diella, whose name means "sun" in Albanian, was initially introduced in January 2025 as a virtual assistant on the e-Albania platform. This platform enables citizens to access a wide range of public services and documents online. Since her introduction, Diella has assisted users with tasks such as obtaining driver’s licenses, pension applications, and court filings.
Represented as a young woman in traditional Albanian attire, she interacts with users through voice commands and issues electronically stamped documents, streamlining administrative processes and reducing red tape.
Now, Diella has been elevated to the role of minister for public procurement, a position that involves overseeing and awarding government contracts. Prime Minister Rama emphasized that Diella's AI-driven approach will help eliminate human biases and corruption from the tendering process, a longstanding issue in Albania.
He stated, "Diella is the first cabinet member who isn’t physically present but is virtually created by AI," and added that her appointment would make Albania "a country where public tenders are 100% free of corruption."
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