BRUSSELS – The appointment of Albania’s new public procurement minister, an AI-generated bot named Diella, has ignited a debate over the role of artificial intelligence in governance. Announced by Prime Minister Edi Rama in September, Diella, translating to “sun” in Albanian, has been charged with overseeing public government tenders to private companies, an area riddled with corruption that has hindered Albania’s aspirations for European Union membership.
Experts express skepticism regarding whether this virtual cabinet member can truly eradicate corruption, despite its purported resistance to bribes and political pressure. “This is huge and it could actually set a precedent,” remarked Bojana Zorić, a policy analyst at the European Union Institute for Security Studies. “Whether it’s dangerous or not, we’ll see.” The move aligns with Rama’s pledge to secure EU membership by 2030.
Diella’s introduction in 2023 as an AI-powered virtual assistant on the e-Albania platform has already registered over 900,000 interactions and stamped 36,000 documents with its digital seal. However, experts warn that elevating the bot to a decision-making capacity poses significant risks. “It’s a technical system like any other and is open to manipulation and corruption,” stated Joe Litobarski, a PhD candidate at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. Issues such as biased input data, flawed algorithms, and irresponsible deployment can yield unreliable outcomes.
Moreover, organizations like Transparency International emphasize that AI cannot substitute for governance, legal frameworks, or human judgment. The use of AI in governance raises concerns regarding accountability, as precedents involving autonomous systems have shown significant risks, including accidents caused by self-driving vehicles and biased algorithms erroneously accusing individuals.
Public sector officials are urged to rigorously test AI systems prior to deployment, cultivate digital skills among civil servants, and implement robust oversight mechanisms. Experts highlight that reliance on foreign AI solutions could jeopardize Albania’s digital sovereignty, making its systems more vulnerable to cyberattacks. Notably, Diella was developed in collaboration with Microsoft, utilizing its Azure OpenAI models, which raises questions about long-term implications for national control over digital infrastructure.
The European Commission has acknowledged the appointment of a “virtual entity” in its report on Albania’s EU membership progress. When asked about Diella, a Commission spokesperson highlighted that the structure of Albania’s government is a “sovereign decision” on which they do not comment. Despite its reputation as one of Europe’s most corrupt nations, some experts view Diella as a genuine effort to combat graft. However, the Commission reiterated that Albania must continue to enhance its measures against corruption, organized crime, and money laundering.
As the EU monitors Albania’s compliance with the forthcoming EU AI Act, developers of innovative systems like Diella will be required to conduct risk assessments to mitigate bias and manipulation, monitor cybersecurity threats, and maintain transparent operational records. This regulatory scrutiny aims to ensure that AI systems in the public sector are both effective and accountable.
The global landscape shows several countries, including Canada and South Korea, investing significantly in AI to bolster public sector efficiency. In Britain, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has vowed to transform the country into an AI “superpower,” exploring the use of innovative chatbots for public services. However, experts caution against prioritizing efficiency at the expense of responsible governance. “When it comes to modernizing government, you don’t really want to run it like a start-up,” Litobarski cautioned. “I’m all for experimentation but let’s do it in a controlled, evidence-based way.”
As Albania navigates this unprecedented integration of AI into its governance framework, the outcomes will have profound implications, not only for its EU ambitions but also for the global dialogue on the role of technology in public administration.
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