• Albania appoints Diella, the world’s first AI minister, to oversee public tenders.
• Diella aims to eliminate corruption and enhance transparency in public procurement.
• The initiative is part of Albania's efforts to join the European Union by 2030.
• Concerns over human oversight and potential AI manipulation remain prevalent among skeptics.
• The AI minister previously functioned as a digital assistant on Albania's e-government platform.

Albania has made headlines globally with the appointment of Diella, the world's first AI-generated government minister, tasked with overseeing public procurement. Prime Minister Edi Rama announced Diella's role during a cabinet presentation following the Socialist Party’s victory in the May elections, stating that she will ensure that "public tenders will be 100% free of corruption," a significant issue in the Balkan country known for its corruption scandals, especially in public tendering processes, according to SCMP and India Times.

Diella, which means "sun" in Albanian, was initially launched as a digital assistant within the e-Albania platform, helping users navigate government services. With over 36,600 digital documents processed and nearly 1,000 services provided, her new role as the Minister for Public Procurement represents a shift towards utilizing AI in public governance to enhance transparency, according to India Times and Al Jazeera.

Rama’s administration aims for this radical approach to contribute towards Albania's objective of joining the EU by 2030, as fighting corruption is a critical criterion for membership. However, opposition voices question the legality and effectiveness of appointing an AI minister without clear human oversight, indicating a potential risk of manipulation, as stated by various analysts and critics, according to BBC and India Times.

As Albania embarks on this pioneering experiment in AI governance, political reactions have been mixed. Supporters laud the potential for reducing human bias in public procurement, while critics express concerns over the transparency and accountability of a non-human entity in a ministerial role. Legal experts are calling for clearer guidelines to define Diella's responsibilities and authority, as highlighted by Al Jazeera and India Times.