Albania unveils Deila, the world’s first AI minister, to oversee public procurement and fight corruption amid EU accession ambitions.
When the Albanian National Assembly convened last month for the first session of its 11th legislative session, a woman wearing a traditional white outfit greeted lawmakers on two large screens. “I’m not here to replace people, I’m here to help them,” she said. “It is true that I do not have citizenship, but I have no ambitions or personal interests either.”
Her name is Deila, the Albanian word for sunshine, and she has been described as the world’s first female AI minister, charged with overseeing public procurement.
The promise of a non-partisan, incorruptible oversight body may be attractive in the Balkan country where corruption has repeatedly derailed its efforts to join the European Union. Brussels urged Tirana to address shortcomings in the rule of law, especially in public administration, before membership talks can advance. Prime Minister Edi Rama, who just secured a fourth term in office, said Diela would expedite procurement decisions and demonstrate Albania’s commitment to tackling corruption.
Critics dismiss the project as political farce, and opposition lawmakers warn that the government could manipulate digital personhood and use it as a distraction.
Developed earlier this year in collaboration with Microsoft, Diella debuted as a chatbot on the e-Albania platform, enabling citizens to obtain documents and navigate digital services. But turning the service into a political figure is something no one expected.
Claudiana Peško, associate professor and lecturer in geopolitics and European integration at the University of Tirana, says its revelation raises more questions than it answers. “Della often represents the desire to be seen in line with new technological innovations while at the same time striving for EU membership,” she says. “You are supposed to deal with public contracts in a neutral way, but the real question is why finding an honest minister to deal with public procurement is an impossible task in Albania.”
There are also issues of accountability and whether it can be recognized as a legal entity. “Suppose Diella makes a mistake, who will bear responsibility?” Peshko asks. “How will the rule of law work in such a situation?”
