On September 11, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama announced the new cabinet list, causing a global stir: an artificial intelligence system named “Dijela” (meaning “sun” in Albanian) has been officially appointed as the Minister of Public Procurement. This unprecedented move makes Albania the first country in the world to incorporate a non-physical artificial intelligence into its government cabinet, marking a historic step in the deep involvement of artificial intelligence in national governance.
“Dijela is the first cabinet member that does not exist in physical form but is virtually generated by artificial intelligence,” Rama emphasized in his speech announcing the new cabinet. He pointed out that this appointment aims to fundamentally reform Albania’s notoriously problematic public procurement system, with the goal of “becoming a country where public tenders are 100% free of corruption.”
For a long time, the awarding of public procurement contracts has been a hotspot for corruption issues in Albania, severely damaging the government’s credibility and hindering the country’s process of joining the European Union. As a candidate country for EU membership, Albania is striving to advance judicial and administrative reforms to meet accession standards. Rama hopes to achieve EU membership by 2030, and the appointment of the AI minister is seen as a key measure to promote national modernization and enhance governance transparency.
According to the plan, the decision-making power for tenders will gradually be transferred from various government departments to “Dijela.” This AI system will be responsible for reviewing every tender contract signed between the government and private enterprises, objectively assessing the technical, financial, and compliance advantages of bidding proposals based on preset algorithms and big data analysis, thereby reducing human intervention and opportunities for rent-seeking.
“Dijela” did not appear suddenly. As early as the beginning of 2025, she was launched as an AI virtual assistant on the Albanian government’s electronic service platform, presented as a woman in traditional ethnic attire, providing digital government services to citizens and businesses, including document applications, voice consultations, and electronic signatures. Her efficient and convenient services have already gained recognition from many citizens, laying the foundation for this “promotion.”
Rama stated that the government will establish a dedicated department to provide technical support for “Dijela” and promote the widespread application of artificial intelligence in other government departments. However, this bold attempt has also sparked widespread controversy. Currently, the government has not disclosed what kind of human oversight “Dijela” will have, who will be responsible in case of decision-making errors, and whether there is a risk of manipulation by external or internal forces. Technical experts warn that the fairness of AI systems highly depends on their training data and algorithm design; without transparency and accountability mechanisms, new systemic risks may arise.
Nevertheless, Albania’s move undoubtedly sets a radical example for global digital government construction. From virtual assistant to cabinet minister, “Dijela”‘s leap symbolizes that artificial intelligence is evolving from an auxiliary tool to a core decision-making role. In the future, whether this “digital minister” can truly fulfill the promise of “zero corruption” not only concerns the success or failure of Albania’s reforms but will also provide valuable practical experience and profound warnings for countries around the world exploring AI governance.