Albania has made history by appointing Diella, the world's first AI-powered cabinet minister, to tackle corruption in public procurement. Diella, which means "sun" in Albanian, is designed to ensure transparency and fairness in government contracts by using data-driven decision-making.
The AI system will oversee public procurement, managing and awarding government tenders while reducing human bias and increasing efficiency. Diella will document and publish every tender decision digitally to prevent secrecy and ensure transparency. The goal is to make public tenders 100% free of corruption, eliminating opportunities for bribery, threats, or political favor-trading.
The appointment of Diella has received mixed reactions, with some people questioning the accountability and constitutionality of appointing a non-human minister. However, if successful, Diella's model could inspire other nations to adopt similar AI-led governance models, potentially reshaping the relationship between citizens, governments, and technology.
Diella's integration with Albania's main online services portal, e-Albania, will ensure broad access and facilitate the transfer of responsibilities. The government plans to transfer responsibilities to Diella step by step to ensure stability.
The use of AI in governance has the potential to bring about significant changes, and Albania's experiment with Diella will be closely watched by the international community. As the world becomes increasingly digitized, the role of AI in governance is likely to become more prominent, and Albania's initiative may pave the way for other countries to follow suit.
