Albania has appointed the first-ever AI bot “Diella,” as a minister in its parliament in an effort to tackle corruption in the Balkan country.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama is set to begin his fourth term, and noted that its name means “sun” in the Albanian language, and “it will manage and award all public tenders in which the government contracts private companies for various projects,” according to Reuters.
Prior to being assigned a role in the Albanian government, Diella was already functional as an AI-powered virtual assistant launched to help citizens obtain official documents on the e-Albania platform.
Ironically enough, “Diella” was not appointed as an minister on AI (artificial intelligence)… it was created to fight corruption in the government, and it is a virtual entity tasked with overseeing public procurement and tender processes.
In his speech, where he unveiled his new cabinet Prime Minister Rama remarked, “Diella is the first cabinet member who isn’t physically present, but is virtually created by AI… She will help make Albania “a country where public tenders are 100 percent free of corruption.”
In her virtual address to the country, Diella acknowledged that she is “not here to replace human beings but to help them.”
“Diella” indicated that “the real danger to constitutions has never been machines, but human decisions made by those in power.”
“Diella” was met with mixed responses by parliament members and the public. The country’s opposition Democratic Party criticized this decision and declared it both “ridiculous” and “unconstitutional,” especially since Albania’s constitution states that “government ministers must be mentally competent citizens aged 18 or over.”
Will other European countries follow this precedent set by Albania and appoint AI bots in their parliaments? Only time will tell.
‘Diella’ joins the global AI systems ‘Humphrey’ and ‘Albert’
In the meantime, “Diella” has joined other global AI systems such as “Humphrey and Albert” respectively.
Humphrey is a multi-tool suite that was launched by the UK government earlier this year, which features an AI tool known as “Consult,” which the Scottish Government has applied to a consultation on the regulation of non-surgical cosmetic treatments, which include laser hair removal and lip fillers. Their goal is to help save time and efficiency.
In France, former prime minister Gabriel Attal launched “Albert,” a French-made AI system in April to streamline administrative procedures.
Albert was created to assist agencies and help them save time by helping public officials answer frequently asked questions; moreover, it filters questions submitted to tax agents, transcribes legal hearings, and files complaints and medical reports.
