Albania Just Appointed an AI Minister to Fight Corruption

In a surprising and groundbreaking move, Albania Appoints AI Minister to Fight Corruption Edi Rama has brought an artificial intelligence system into his new government to help fight corruption. The AI, named Diella, which translates to “sun,” has been given a ministerial role. Rama said Diella will oversee public contracts to ensure the process is completely free of corruption, a problem that has plagued the country for years.

This decision is a big step for Albania, a country that hopes to join the European Union. Cleaning up government corruption is a major requirement for joining the EU, and Rama’s party has promised to meet the conditions by 2027.

Diella isn’t entirely new; it was first introduced earlier this year as a virtual assistant on a government platform. It has already helped citizens with thousands of digital documents and services. Its new role, however, is on a much higher level, with the goal of bringing total transparency to government spending.

The move has been met with a mix of reactions. On one hand, it’s a bold and innovative approach to a difficult problem. But on the other, there are serious questions about how it will work. Opposition leaders have been critical, with one calling the appointment “unconstitutional.” There are also concerns about who will be held responsible if the AI makes a mistake, and how the system will be protected from being manipulated.

The public seems to be just as skeptical. Online comments suggest many believe that even an AI system can’t escape the country’s deep-rooted corruption issues. Some comments joked that Diella would also become corrupt, or that it would simply be blamed when things go wrong. While the idea is a world first and draws a lot of attention, its long-term success will depend on how the government handles these complex challenges