A new minister in Albania, tasked with managing public procurement, will be immune to bribes, threats or attempts at favors. That's because Diella, as she's called, is a bot created by artificial intelligence.
Prime Minister Edi Rama, who is about to begin his fourth term, said on Thursday that Diella — which means “sun” in Albanian — will manage and award all public tenders where the government contracts private companies for various projects.
“Diella is the first cabinet member who is not physically present, but has been virtually created by AI,” Rama said during a speech introducing the new cabinet. She will help return Albania to “a country where public tenders are 100% free from corruption.”
The awarding of these contracts has long been a source of corruption scandals in Albania, a Balkan country that experts describe as a hub for criminal groups that launder money from drug and arms trafficking around the world, and where corruption has reached the very top of power.
The government did not provide details on what human oversight there will be for the Sun, or whether there is a risk of someone manipulating the bot with artificial intelligence.
Diella was initially launched earlier this year as an AI-powered virtual assistant on the e-Albania platform, helping citizens and businesses obtain state documents. Dressed in traditional Albanian costume, she provides assistance through voice commands and issues documents with an electronic seal, reducing bureaucratic delays.
Not everyone is convinced. One Facebook user wrote: “Even Diella will be corrupted in Albania.” Another said: “The theft will continue and Diella will be blamed.”
The new parliament, elected in May, is expected to convene on Friday, although it remains unclear whether the government will be voted on that same day.
Reuters
