Albania appoints an AI bot as a cabinet member to manage public procurement and combat corruption.

Albania has become the first country to appoint an artificial intelligence bot as a cabinet member. This historic appointment marks the first political designation of an AI bot in the world.

Prime Minister Edi Rama announced the appointment on Thursday, introducing the bot called “Diella”. It is a digital system that will focus on managing the country's public procurement system. According to Rama, the appointment aims to combat corruption.

An AI bot as cabinet minister in Albania

Diella, whose name means “sunlight” in Albanian, was introduced at the Socialist Party assembly in Tirana, where Rama announced his new cabinet at the beginning of his fourth term. Unlike her colleagues, Diella exists only as an avatar representing a young woman in traditional Albanian attire.

Rama explained that Diella will oversee all public tenders, which has historically been one of the sectors most prone to corruption in Albania. By removing decision-making from human cabinet members and placing it in the hands of an incorruptible AI, he argued, the country could ensure “100% transparent and readable” public fund spending.

“Diella is the first cabinet member who is not physically present, but is virtually created by AI,” Rama said in his speech. “She is the public procurement servant.”

The prime minister emphasized that decisions regarding tenders would gradually move “step by step” under Diella's authority, transforming Albania into a country where public tenders are completely immune to bribery and manipulation.

Diella's role will also include:

• Evaluate offers
• Hire experts from around the world
• Break “the fear of prejudice and the rigidity of administration”

Diella is fundamental to Albania's long-standing effort to align with European Union standards. The EU has repeatedly criticized the country for corruption in public administration and procurement, and Rama, who was re-elected in May with the promise of joining the bloc by 2030, said that Diella's appointment demonstrates Albania's willingness to innovate.

Analysis from the Web3 Perspective

The implementation of an AI system to manage public procurement in Albania represents a significant step towards the integration of advanced technologies in governance. This innovative approach has several implications from a Web3 perspective:

1. Decentralization of decision-making: By relying on an AI system to manage critical processes, Albania is effectively decentralizing part of its government structure. This aligns with the principles of Web3 that advocate for more distributed systems and less dependence on human intermediaries.

2. Transparency and auditing: AI-based systems, if implemented correctly, can provide a high level of transparency. Every decision made by Diella could be traceable and auditable, which aligns with the ideals of transparency promoted by blockchain and Web3 technologies.

3. Potential for blockchain integration: Although not explicitly mentioned in the announcement, the combination of AI and blockchain technology could provide an additional layer of security and transparency. Blockchain-based smart contracts could complement AI decisions, creating an even more robust and tamper-proof system.

4. Governance Challenges: The introduction of an AI “minister” raises important questions about governance and accountability. How will the system be supervised and updated? Who will be responsible for its decisions? These questions are similar to the governance challenges faced by many Web3 projects and decentralized protocols.

5. Innovation in the public sector: Albania's decision to adopt AI technology in such a crucial role demonstrates an openness to innovation in the public sector. This could inspire other countries to explore similar applications of Web3 and blockchain technologies in government administration.

Reactions and Challenges

While the government has promoted Diella as a tool for transparency, her appointment has already generated debate in the country. On social media, some users expressed doubts about whether even a virtual minister could remain immune to corruption.

Concerns have also been raised about the oversight and accountability of Diella. Rama did not provide details on what human oversight will accompany Diella's decisions, or how the system could be protected against manipulation by the AI itself.

Diella is not completely new to Albanians. It first appeared earlier this year as an AI-powered assistant on the government's digital platform e-Albania, which citizens use to obtain state documents. Its avatar responds to voice commands, issues documents with electronic seals, and aims to reduce bureaucratic delays.

Diella's appointment was announced a day before Albania's newly elected parliament convened. It is still unclear whether Rama's cabinet, including its virtual member, will be formally voted on immediately.