Albania’s Prime Minister has introduced an artificial intelligence-powered “minister” to help combat corruption in his new Cabinet—an initiative developed in collaboration with Microsoft.
Officially named Diella, the feminine form of the word “sun” in Albanian, the new AI minister is a virtual entity, not a physical presence.
“Diella will be a Cabinet member created virtually, not physically,” Prime Minister Edi Rama announced in a Facebook post on Friday.
Rama said the AI-driven minister will help ensure that “public tenders are 100% free of corruption” while enabling the government to operate more efficiently and transparently.
According to an official from Albania’s National Agency for Information Society, Diella was developed with Microsoft using the latest AI models and techniques to ensure reliability in fulfilling her assigned tasks.
The AI minister, visually represented in traditional Albanian folk attire, was initially launched earlier this year as a virtual assistant on the e-Albania public service platform.
To date, Diella has facilitated the issuance of 36,600 digital documents and delivered nearly 1,000 public services through the platform, according to official statistics.
Rama, who recently secured a fourth term in office, is expected to present his new Cabinet to Parliament in the coming days.
Tackling corruption, especially within public administration, remains a key requirement in Albania’s effort to join the European Union.
Rama has set an ambitious goal of leading the Balkan nation of 2.8 million people into the EU by 2030.
