In an unprecedented move, Albania has become the first country in the world to appoint an artificial intelligence minister. Her name is Diella, which means "sunlight" in Albanian, and her appointment opens a debate that goes far beyond the geographical limits of the small Balkan country. In the middle of 2025, in a world where artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing at a dizzying pace, Diella marks a historic turning point: the formal entry of AI into the power structure of a sovereign state.
This avatar, Diella, who represents a middle-aged woman wearing traditional Albanian clothing, is not just an animation designed to impress. According to Prime Minister Edi Rama, Diella is a real tool, with a voice and powers within the executive branch.
Rama introduced Diella during the Socialist Party assembly as a decisive step to "eradicate corruption" in public procurement processes. But what seems like a revolutionary advance to some, also generates fear in others: are we ready for governments managed by machines? Read all about the Diella debate below.
What is Diella and what will she do?
Unlike AI used in call centers or customer service chats, Diella has been endowed with formal government functions. Diella’s main responsibility will be to supervise and manage the State’s public procurement processes, one of the areas most vulnerable to fraud and corruption. It is a role that, in other countries like Spain, would fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance. In Albania, it will now be in the hands of an artificial intelligence: Diella.
The implementation process with Diella will be gradual. According to Rama, the AI Diella will take control "step by step," but the objective is clear: to make public procurement 100% incorruptible and 100% transparent. Diella sends a powerful message for a nation that aspires to join the European Union and needs to show a clear break with its institutional past.
In her first intervention—a speech projected on two giant screens in Parliament—Diella delivered words that marked a before and after: “The Constitution speaks of institutions in the service of the people. It does not speak of chromosomes, of flesh or blood. It speaks of duties, responsibility, transparency, non-discriminatory service.” This message from Diella serves as a reminder that, in theory, artificial intelligence does not discriminate, cannot be corrupted, and does not negotiate in the shadows.
Technology and Government: A Marriage in Evolution
Although Diella’s case is pioneering, the relationship between technology and government has a long history. From the first electronic voting systems to today's online service portals, states have been integrating technological tools with the goal of modernizing services, streamlining processes, and reducing bureaucracy.
In recent years, the rise of generative artificial intelligence has added a new dimension to this relationship. Governments are no longer just digitizing tasks—they are beginning to delegate parts of decision-making to algorithmic systems.
Cases like Victoria Shi in Ukraine, a virtual spokesperson who reads official statements, or Prozorro, the AI-based procurement system also in Ukraine, have already shown that machines can play relevant institutional roles. In Sweden, the Prime Minister himself has admitted to using ChatGPT as a consultation tool. But Diella goes further: she represents a minister with specific executive powers, making her the first of her kind in the world.
The End of Corruption... or the Beginning of a New Opacity?
Diella’s great promise is simple and powerful: to put an end to structural corruption in state contracts. AI Diella has no personal interests and doesn’t receive envelopes under the table. If properly trained and fed with transparent data, Diella can make objective decisions based on fair criteria.
However, experts warn that AI Diella is not infallible. Like any technological system, Diella is conditioned by the data she has been trained on. If that data is biased or incomplete, the decisions Diella makes will also be biased. Additionally, AI Diella cannot assume legal responsibilities. In case of errors, who will be held accountable?
Diella’s introduction also raises an ethical dilemma: what happens to democratic control? In a democracy, citizens elect their representatives and have the right to question their decisions. How is an AI like Diella held accountable? How can she be questioned, audited, or sanctioned?
Political Reaction: Between Admiration and Skepticism
Diella's debut was as innovative as it was controversial. In Parliament, the opposition strongly rejected the Diella project. They banged on tables, interrupted the debate, and ultimately boycotted the vote on the new cabinet, which was approved with 82 votes in a 140-seat parliament.
Opposition parties accused the government of using Diella as a smokescreen to cover up corrupt practices, although they offered no specific evidence of how the AI could be manipulated. What’s certain is that, despite the political noise, the virtual minister Diella is now part of Albania’s institutional machinery.
Culture, Symbolism, and Narrative: Why a Traditional Woman?
Diella’s avatar is not a generic figure. She represents a middle-aged woman in traditional Albanian dress—no minor detail. This design was carefully chosen to project closeness, respect for cultural roots, and calm authority.
In a social context where many people still distrust technology, this aesthetic decision is key. Diella’s figure blends modernity and tradition, artificial intelligence and cultural values, technology and humanity. This symbolism helps the government soften the image of a potentially intimidating technology, humanizing it while remaining clear in its function.
The Risk of the Algorithmic Black Box
One of the most serious criticisms of AI systems in public administration is their lack of internal transparency. Algorithms function as black boxes: even when the results appear accurate, the processes behind them are not always understandable—even to the developers themselves.
In politics, this is a problem. Decisions that affect citizens, businesses, or communities must be explainable and publicly debated. If Diella’s decisions are based on inaccessible technical processes, there is a risk of replacing democratic oversight with opaque technocratic control.
What Do the Experts Say?
Experts in ethics, law, and technology consulted in various forums agree that the introduction of AI into public administration through Diella must be accompanied by solid regulatory frameworks.
Jurist Marina Tomaševic, specialized in digital law, warns: "An AI cannot assume legal responsibility. Its use in sensitive areas always requires a layer of human oversight and a clear path for accountability."
For his part, technology philosopher Erik Sandström believes we are facing a new paradigm: "Algorithmic governments could eliminate favoritism, but also compassion. We must not forget that justice is not always just a matter of data."
What if Diella is not the last?
The Albanian experiment with Diella could mark the beginning of a new era in global politics. Countries with similar problems of corruption or administrative overload might be tempted to adopt models similar to Diella. Even in consolidated democracies, the efficiency of AI-based systems can be attractive. From automated local governments to hybrid man-machine ministries, the range of possibilities is wide.
In the future, we might see:
- AI as legislative mediators, analyzing the impact of laws and proposing amendments.
- Partially automated judicial systems, with algorithms assisting in the analysis of jurisprudence.
- Social prediction models to anticipate economic, health, or climate crises.
But each step will bring new questions, new responsibilities, and an urgent need to rethink the social contract between citizens, governments, and technologies.
A Step Forward or a Red Line?
The creation of Diella puts a paradox on the table: an AI can be more just, but less human; more efficient, but less empathetic; more precise, but less explainable. The debate is not only technical or political. It is philosophical. What does it mean to govern? Is it just about making decisions based on data and efficiency, or does it also involve empathy, moral judgment, social values, and human sensitivity? Can an artificial intelligence understand the emotional complexities of a community affected by a poorly executed public project, or assess the social impact of prioritizing a rural area over an urban one?
These are not easy questions, but they will be inevitable as AI systems like Diella are integrated into more levels of government and public life. Technology is not neutral. Diella is designed, trained, and regulated by humans. That is why, although Diella's avatar may seem above traditional politics, her existence is profoundly political.
What Will Citizens Say?
Ultimately, Diella’s success or failure will depend not only on her technical capacity but also on her social acceptance. The Albanian public—and by extension, the world—will closely watch whether this Diella experiment truly improves public processes or ends up revealing new forms of control, bias, or exclusion.
Surveys conducted after Diella’s presentation show a mix of enthusiasm and skepticism. For many young citizens, born in the digital age, the use of AI in government with Diella is seen as a natural and progressive step. For older generations, however, there is a sense of loss of control, as if the fate of the country were left in the hands of an inhuman machine.
The Albanian government knows this. That is why it has opted for a traditional avatar, emotionally neutral language, and a “step-by-step” approach. Diella’s challenge will be to maintain that trust over time—especially if errors, technical failures, or unpopular decisions arise.
A New Chapter in the History of Governance
The creation of Diella is neither an isolated act nor a mere novelty. Diella is a visible manifestation of a paradigm shift: we are leaving behind the era of analog governments and entering the era of computational governments, where decisions are based on big data, algorithms, and predictive models.
This change has the potential to radically democratize access to public services, make institutions more efficient, and reduce the space for corruption. But it can also undermine the foundations of citizen control over power, make decisions invisible, and increase dependence on closed systems that no one—except the programmers—fully understands.
It is a delicate moment. Diella, with her serene appearance and neutral voice, forces us to ask: is this the beginning of a new era of algorithmic justice—or the first step toward a faceless technocracy?
Future Scenarios: What Could Come After Diella?
If Diella succeeds, we might be witnessing the birth of a new model of global governance. Some possible scenarios for the next 10 years include:
1. Human-Machine Hybrid Governments
In this model, strategic decisions remain in human hands, but execution and oversight are delegated to specialized AIs. It would be a symbiotic collaboration where each side contributes its best: humans bring ethical judgment; machines bring efficiency.
2. Fully Automated Ministries
Sectors such as Finance, Public Works, or Transport could be administered by AI systems that evaluate budgets, allocate funds, and monitor projects in real-time. No favoritism, no delays, no embezzlement. At least, in theory.
3. AI-Assisted Democracies
In the near future, AIs could analyze millions of citizen opinions, social simulation models, climate and economic data within seconds, and propose laws, public policies, and constitutional reforms based on the greatest collective benefit.
4. The Virtual Prime Minister
If technology continues to advance and public acceptance grows, it would not be unthinkable to imagine a completely artificial head of state, chosen for technical capabilities, impartiality, and efficiency. The question would then be: are we still a democracy if no human leads?
Diella is much more than a technological experiment. Diella is a mirror reflecting our deepest hopes and fears as a society. We want governments that are more efficient, less corrupt, faster, and fairer. But we also want to be heard, understood, and respected in our humanity. Artificial intelligence offers tempting solutions, but it also forces us to rethink everything—from what we understand by political representation to how we ensure equity and justice in systems designed by a few.
Albania has taken a brave, perhaps risky, step that places the country at the center of the global debate on the future of democracy. Diella is today a minister in a country of 2.8 million people. Will she be tomorrow in a G7 country? Or in an international organization? What is clear is that, with Diella, politics will never be the same again. If you want to learn more about recent innovations in AI like Diella, write to us at [email protected]. We have a team of experts ready to advise you on the latest in technology so you can stay ahead of the curve.
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