Meet The World’s First AI Powered Minister

Albania has named the world’s first AI minister. Prime Minister Edi Rama introduced Diella, which is an AI system, to his cabinet last week. Her name means “sun” in Albanian and she is presented as a young woman in traditional dress from the Zadrima region.

Diella was not built for government work alone. She first appeared in January as the digital assistant on the e-Albania platform, which citizens use to access documents and official services. Her cabinet role builds on that system but puts her at the centre of public life.

Rama told party members that Diella is the first cabinet member who is not present in person but has been created through artificial intelligence.

 

Why Has Albania Done This?

 

Corruption has been a long standing problem in Albania. Public procurement has often been called out as an area open to bribes and vested interest. In 2024, Transparency International ranked the country 80th out of 180 on its corruption index.

Rama said Diella will take control of decisions on government tenders. He explained that the process will be moved out of ministries and into the hands of the AI system. Every contract will be handled in a way he described as “100% incorruptible” and “perfectly transparent”.

The aim is that the system will prevent unfair influence in tender decisions. According to Rama, all funds that go through procurement will be open and accountable.

 

 

How Will Diella Work?

 

Until now, Diella’s main task was guiding citizens online. She has helped people apply for papers, pay for services and access almost all state platforms without visiting physical offices. This gave her a presence in everyday Albanian life before she was lifted to a ministerial seat.

Now her responsibility has grown… She will oversee government tenders, study bids, and select who wins contracts. Rama described her as a “servant of public procurement,” meant to keep processes free of corruption.

Diella appears as an avatar, wearing traditional Albanian clothes. It is not clear whether she will keep this form or change as her new responsibilities grow.

 

How Have Others Used AI In Government?

 

Albania may be the first to call an AI system a minister, but other countries have already launched their own tools. In the United Kingdom, the government introduced a suite known as Humphrey earlier this year. One part of that system, called Consult, has been used in Scotland to analyse feedback on cosmetic treatment rules.

France has taken a similar route with this. Former prime minister Gabriel Attal introduced Albert, a French-built AI tool, in April. Albert helps officials answer questions, transcribe legal hearings and deal with complaints. It was designed to save time in administration rather than to hold a formal post.

Governments in Europe are already turning to AI for public service work, though Albania has gone further by naming its system a minister.

 

What Does This Mean For Citizens?

 

For Albanian citizens, the biggest change is that Diella will control how public money is spent on contracts. Rama has promised that this will make the process transparent and free of corruption.

People already knew Diella from the e-Albania portal, so the concept of her as a digital helper is not new. What is new is the scope of her authority, as she now sits inside the cabinet with a direct say on procurement.

Albania’s use of Diella may set an example for other governments, especially in regions where corruption in tenders is a serious issue. For the moment, the world’s first AI minister has started work in Tirana, dressed up and running a process that has tested human ministers for decades.