Has Albania Appointed the World’s First AI-Generated Minister to Combat Corruption?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Diella is the first AI minister aimed at fighting corruption in Albania.
- Prime Minister Edi Rama emphasizes transparency in public tenders.
- Corruption remains a significant issue for Albania as it seeks EU membership.
- AI could revolutionize governance and public service delivery.
- The initiative may influence other nations in adopting similar technologies.
Tirana, Sep 12 (NationPress) Albania has made history by appointing the world's first Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated government "minister" in a bold move aimed at achieving a corruption-free nation. Prime Minister Edi Rama unveiled this innovative digital minister to his cabinet.
The digital assistant, named 'Diella' which translates to 'Sun', has been guiding citizens on navigating government services online since January. On Thursday, Edi Rama stated, "Diella is the first [government] member who is not physically present, but virtually created by artificial intelligence," according to Euro News.
He emphasized that Diella will oversee all decisions related to public tenders, ensuring they are "100 percent corruption-free." Rama added that "every public fund submitted to the tender procedure will be completely transparent."
In a gradual process, the Prime Minister announced that decisions regarding public tender awards will be transitioned away from government ministries. He assured that AI will guarantee that "all public spending in the tender process is 100 percent clear." Since its inception, Diella has been depicted as a woman in traditional Albanian attire, although it remains uncertain if this representation will persist.
Corruption is a significant challenge in Albania, which aspires to join the European Union by 2023. In Transparency International’s corruption index, Albania ranks 80th out of 180 countries, reflecting perceived corruption levels in the public sector.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi co-chaired the AI Action Summit alongside French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. The week-long summit, commencing with Science Days on February 6-7 and culminating in a High-Level Segment on February 10-11, drew global leaders, policymakers, and industry experts.
The summit sparked discussions on essential topics, including enhancing access to AI infrastructure for inclusivity, promoting AI for public interest, responsible AI utilization, fostering diversity and sustainability in AI, and ensuring safe governance of AI.