Albania has appointed an artificial intelligence program, named Diella, as part of its cabinet. Prime Minister Edi Rama introduced Diella during the announcement of his new government four months after winning a fourth term in office. Notably, the Albanian constitution stipulates that government ministers must be mentally competent citizens aged 18 or older, raising questions about the official status of an AI minister.
Diella, whose name translates to “sun” in Albanian, is positioned as a minister responsible for public procurement. Rama emphasizes the intention behind this appointment is to combat corruption in public tenders, aiming for a system “100% free of corruption.” Diella has already been functioning as a virtual assistant in Albania, helping applicants with official documentation processes prior to this announcement.
The Prime Minister has described Diella’s role as a significant innovation, believing it could enhance transparency and efficiency in government operations. He asserts that implementing AI could streamline public bidding processes while minimizing the potential for corrupt influence. Diella reportedly assisted over a million applications on the e-Albania platform, and Rama expresses ambitions for Albania to surpass more developed countries in the adoption of AI technologies within government.
Reactions to Diella’s appointment have varied. The opposition Democratic Party has criticized the initiative as “ridiculous” and “unconstitutional.” However, some experts, including those focused on anti-corruption measures, see potential in utilizing AI to refine and enhance public procurement processes. They argue that AI could provide clearer evaluations of bids against stipulated criteria when programmed correctly.
Despite concerns over the symbolic nature of the appointment, Rama maintains it serves as a prompt for other officials to innovate and think differently in their roles. As the country seeks to expedite its EU accession talks, the effectiveness of this initiative may be crucial in addressing longstanding challenges related to corruption in Albanian governance.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2znzgwj3xo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss