Albania appoints the world’s first virtual minister: a sun-named AI to supervise public procurement
Albania has announced the world's first virtual cabinet member. The digital figure, named Diella—the Albanian word for 'sun'—will oversee public procurement with the stated aim of boosting transparency and reducing corruption.
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A virtual cabinet member: the first government post ever held by a digital entity
Diella will monitor state purchases to ensure transparency and accountability. The move marks a radical experiment in governance, bringing an AI voice into the procurement process.
Diella as a symbol: sun-powered objectivity for procurement
Prime Minister Edi Rama stressed the appointment's uniqueness, noting this is the first government post occupied entirely by a digital entity. The goal is to create an absolutely objective, incorruptible system for state procurement.
AI expands in Albania: from e-Albania services to monitoring urban development and drug labs
AI already powers many public services via the e-Albania platform, where Diella has begun work. Authorities are also using neural networks to monitor illegal urban development and to detect clandestine drug laboratories.
A bold turn toward efficiency and integrity
Proponents see the move as a step toward greater efficiency and corruption-free governance. Diella epitomizes Albania's broader effort to digitize public services and rely on AI to shape procurement and policy.
