Albania Names World’s First AI Minister

During the summer, Edi Rama mused that one day the country could have a digital minister and even an AI prime minister, but few thought that day would come around so quickly. Photo: Olivier Mathys/EPA

Albania has appointed the world’s first artificial intelligence–powered minister, Prime Minister Edi Rama announced on Thursday.

The virtual minister, called Diella, meaning «sunshine» in Albanian, will oversee all public procurement. Rama said the move aims to make tenders «100 percent incorruptible» and ensure transparency in the use of public funds.

Unveiled at the Socialist Party assembly in Tirana, Diella is not a human official but an AI system with a digital avatar dressed in traditional Albanian clothing. She already powers the country’s e-Albania platform, which citizens use to access government services online.

Rama added that Diella would evaluate tenders and could «hire talents from around the world,» helping reduce bureaucracy and corruption.

The announcement comes as Albania pursues European Union membership by 2030, with Brussels repeatedly calling for stronger action against corruption.

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