AI Joins Albanian Government as Minister for Public Procurement

Albania has taken a historic step by appointing an artificial intelligence system named Diella to serve as minister for public procurement. This marks the first time in the world that a non-human entity is given cabinet-level responsibility, with the aim of combating corruption, increasing transparency, and reforming public tender processes. Prime Minister Edi Rama announced Diella’s appointment after his party’s victory in the 2025 parliamentary elections, emphasizing that the country must ensure public tenders are free from human bias and misconduct. According to Oksijen, Diella will manage and award government contracts, a task traditionally handled by ministers and civil servants.

Diella, meaning “sun” in Albanian, first appeared in January 2025 as a virtual assistant on the e-Albania platform. In that role, it helped citizens and businesses obtain official documents, navigate government services, and perform many bureaucratic tasks via voice commands and digital forms. According to the Albanian government, Diella has processed tens of thousands of documents and delivered hundreds of services through the e-Albania portal. Now, the system will be progressively granted greater authority over public procurement decisions and the awarding of contracts. The government has stated that ministries will gradually surrender these responsibilities to Diella.

The announcement came at a Socialist Party conference in Tirana where Prime Minister Rama introduced his new cabinet. Rama said that Diella is “the first cabinet member who is not physically present, but virtually created by artificial intelligence.” He also expressed the government’s goal that Albania become a country where public tenders are 100 percent free of corruption. Reports indicate that Diella will examine every tender in which the government contracts private companies, assessing bids objectively based on merit. Rama sees this shift as essential for fulfilling promises of good governance and for accelerating the country’s European Union accession process. Albania aspires to join the EU by 2030, and improving procurement transparency is considered an important factor in that journey. As Reuters reported, this development could boost Albania’s image within the EU.

Public reaction has been mixed. Many have welcomed the idea as a bold innovation and a strong signal that the government is serious about fighting corruption. Others are skeptical about how much safety mechanisms, oversight, or safeguards are in place to ensure Diella cannot be manipulated or become a figurehead. Some critics warn that corruption in government is complex and deeply rooted, and that an AI by itself cannot fix longstanding human institutional problems. Questions have also emerged about liability and legal responsibility in cases of error or bias by the AI system.

Technical and ethical challenges are being discussed by observers and experts. For example, algorithmic bias is a known issue in systems trained on historical data that may reflect discriminatory or unfair practices. If those data are used uncritically, the AI system could perpetuate inequities or unintentionally favor some bidders over others. Transparency about how Diella’s algorithms work, what data are fed into them, and how decisions are reviewed by humans will be essential. There is also concern about data quality, privacy protection, and ensuring that the AI’s decision criteria are consistent with legal standards.

In the broader EU context, there are existing frameworks and discussions about the ethical procurement of AI-driven public services. A white paper by the European Commission, for example, outlines data ethics as a crucial component in public procurement of AI-based services and solutions, emphasizing democracy, fairness, and fundamental rights. Scholars have also studied how using AI in public procurement may create “black box” decision processes unless there is clear explainability and accountability. Best practices suggest maintaining strong human oversight, ensuring documentation of decisions, and enabling recourse in cases of dispute or perceived unfairness.

Some concrete examples from Albania’s case: Diella would take over roles such as reviewing bid proposals, checking whether companies meet set criteria, measuring past performance, and issuing decisions about contract awards. The government claims that public tenders have long been a source of scandal and corruption in Albania. According to international monitoring organizations, Albania has often been criticized for weak enforcement in procurement and for lacking transparency, which has hindered its efforts to align with EU governance standards.

Diella’s earlier role on the e-Albania portal gave some credence to its capabilities. In that role, the AI tool issued documents electronically, reducing delays related to bureaucratic processing, requiring fewer in-person interactions, and helping users navigate public services more efficiently. Some of that experience is intended to inform how the new procurement responsibilities will be managed. The government anticipates that assigning Diella to procurement will reduce opportunities for bribery, favoritism, and arbitrary decisions.

Legally, the shift raises many questions. To grant actual ministerial powers to an AI, there must be clear legal frameworks that define the scope of authority, responsibility for errors, appeal mechanisms for affected parties, and oversight structures. Experts argue that without strong legal backing, accountability could become ambiguous. For instance, if a contract is awarded unfairly, or if a decision is challenged, who is responsible the AI system itself, the programmers, the overseeing governmental body, or another entity?

Another dimension is public trust. For this reform to succeed, citizens and businesses must believe that decisions made by Diella are fair, transparent, and competent. If people feel that human judgment is missing in critical areas, or that the AI favors certain groups, backlash is possible. Some have already voiced concern online, saying even Diella will be corrupted in Albania; others believe the move is proof that the government is embracing technology in an attempt to reform deeply entrenched systems.

International observers are watching closely. EU officials have expressed interest in how Albania’s experiment with AI ministerial responsibility will develop. If Albania manages to prove that procurement under Diella’s oversight can be effective and fair, this case may become a model for other countries looking to modernize their public administration. Analysts say this could influence procurement reforms not only in the Balkans but also in other regions where corruption in tendering is a chronic problem.

In summary, the appointment of Diella as minister responsible for public procurement marks a revolutionary experiment in government, combining AI, digital governance, and anti-corruption goals. While the promise is large including reduced corruption, quicker procurement decisions, and more transparent government spending the risks are also considerable: possible algorithmic bias, lack of oversight, legal ambiguity, and public skepticism. Much will depend on how Albania constructs the necessary infrastructure around Diella: laws, oversight mechanisms, evaluation criteria, transparency, and channels for appeal. The world will be watching as Albania tests the feasibility of entrusting such important governmental tasks to an artificial intelligence system.