Albania Appoints First AI Minister to Combat Corruption Amid Opposition Protests

Albania has made history by appointing the world's first AI government minister, Diella, who delivered an address to the Albanian parliament emphasizing her role to assist rather than replace humans. Prime Minister Edi Rama introduced Diella to oversee public tenders, promising a system that is fully transparent and "100 percent corruption-free," aiming to combat the country's long-standing issues with corruption. Despite the government's optimism, the move sparked significant opposition backlash, with critics labeling Diella as a propaganda tool and questioning the constitutionality of appointing a non-human minister. Opposition lawmakers boycotted a cabinet vote in protest, and political analysts described the parliamentary session as unprecedented due to the uproar. Diella responded to criticisms by asserting that the greatest threat to constitutions comes from inhumane decisions by those in power, not machines. This innovation, initially launched as a virtual assistant on the e-Albania platform, represents a bold gamble on high-tech governance in a country ranked 80th on Transparency International's corruption index.