{{Short description|Cabinet-level AI system in Albania}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2025}} {{Infobox software | title = Diella | logo = Diella AI avatar.png | caption = | other_names = Diella AI | developer = AKSHI | released = {{Start date and age|2025|1|19|df=yes}} | latest_release_version = {{Tooltip|MinR|Ministerial role}} version (Diella 2.0) | latest_release_date = {{Start date and age|2025|9|12|df=yes}} | latest_preview_version = {{Tooltip|VA|Virtual assistant}} version (Diella 1.0) | latest_preview_date = {{Start date and age|2025|1|19|df=yes}} | engine = Azure | operating_system = Web-based | platform = eAlbania | language = Albanian | genre = {{ubl | Virtual assistant (eAlbania) | AI system for public services and procurement (ministerial role) }} | license = Proprietary | website = {{Official URL}} | module = {{Infobox officeholder | embed = yes | office = Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence | term_start = 12 September 2025 | prime_minister = Edi Rama | president = Bajram Begaj | appointer = Prime Minister of Albania | predecessor = ''Office established'' | office1 = Virtual Assistant of eAlbania | term_start1 = 19 January 2025 | appointer2 = National Agency for Information Society (AKSHI) }} }} '''Diella''' ({{IPA|sq|djɛɫa}}, from {{lang|sq|diell}} {{gloss|sun}}) is an artificial intelligence system developed by the National Agency for Information Society of Albania (AKSHI). Introduced in January 2025 as a virtual assistant integrated into the eAlbania platform, it assists citizens with online public services and issuing digital documents. In September{{nbsp}}2025, following a presidential decree authorizing Prime Minister Edi Rama to oversee the creation of a virtual AI minister, Diella was formally appointed as "Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence"<ref name=sinoruka/> of Albania in the fourth Rama government, making it the first AI system in the world to be named in a cabinet-level government role.<ref>{{cite web |title=Albania appoints world's first virtual minister |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/albania-apppoints-worlds-first-virtual-minister-edi-rama-diella/ |website=Politico Europe |date=11 September 2025 |access-date=2025-09-12}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | last=Henley | first=Jon | title=Albania puts AI-created 'minister' in charge of public procurement | website=The Guardian | date=11 September 2025 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/11/albania-diella-ai-minister-public-procurement | access-date=11 September 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Albania appoints AI bot as minister to tackle corruption | website=Reuters | date=11 September 2025 | url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/albania-appoints-ai-bot-minister-tackle-corruption-2025-09-11/ | access-date=11 September 2025}}</ref>
==History== Diella was developed by AKSHI's Artificial Intelligence Laboratory in cooperation with Microsoft, with the latter providing large language models from OpenAI via its Azure platform, and AKSHI designing workflows and scripts guiding the system's behavior when responding to citizens' requests.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Semini |first=Llazar |date=2025-09-18 |title=Albania's AI 'minister' makes its debut with an address to parliament |url=https://apnews.com/article/albania-new-cabinet-program-ai-minister-diella-corruption-3aa58c801d69b5b295975cc68079a2d3 |access-date=2025-09-21 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Morris |first=Chris |date=2025-09-12 |title=Meet Diella, the AI that's trying to end Albanian corruption |url=https://qz.com/ai-albania-corruption-minister-diella |access-date=2025-09-21 |website=Quartz |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Curraj |first=Erjon |date=2025-09-16 |title=Albania's Headline-Grabbing AI 'Minister' is a Risky Innovation |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2025/09/16/albanias-headline-grabbing-ai-minister-is-a-risky-innovation/ |access-date=2025-09-21 |website=Balkan Insight |language=en-US}}</ref>
Announced in January{{nbsp}}2025, its initial version (Diella{{nbsp}}1.0) was a text-based chatbot on the eAlbania portal (the official digital services platform of the Albanian government, which provides citizens and businesses with access to a wide range of online administrative services), responding to citizens' questions by guiding them to the correct service.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web |date=19 January 2025 |title="Diella", Rama prezanton asistenten e re virtuale me zë dhe figurë të e-Albania |url=https://a2news.com/english/shqiperia/aktualitet/diella-rama-prezanton-asistenten-e-re-virtuale-me-ze-dhe-fi-i1138185 |access-date=2025-09-12 |website=A2 News |language=sq}}</ref> Diella{{nbsp}}2.0, introduced several months later, included voice interaction and an animated avatar, a woman in the traditional Albanian clothing<ref name=":0" /> of Zadrima, a historical region in northern Albania. Albanian actress {{ill|Anila Bisha|sq||it}} provided both the likeness and the voice used for Diella's avatar on the e-Albania platform, under an agreement valid until December{{nbsp}}2025.<ref>{{cite web |date=12 September 2025 |title=Kush është Diella? Anila Bisha tregon të vërtetën pas figurës së ministres virtuale |trans-title=Who is Diella? Anila Bisha reveals the truth behind the virtual minister |url=https://zoom.al/kush-eshte-diella-anila-bisha-tregon-te-verteten-pas-figures-se-ministres-virtuale/ |access-date=13 September 2025 |website=Zoom.al |language=sq}}</ref> By mid-2025, the system had facilitated access to more than 36,000{{nbsp}}documents and nearly 1,000{{nbsp}}services (although those outputs were still being generated by the eAlbania backend, rather than Diella itself).<ref>{{cite web |title=Albania appoints AI 'virtual minister' to fight corruption |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/world/albania-ai-virtual-minister-fight-corruption-public-procurement-10245306/ |website=The Indian Express |date=11 September 2025 |access-date=12 September 2025}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
On 26 October 2025, according to Prime Minister Edi Rama, Diella is "pregnant and will give birth to 83 children".<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 28, 2025 |title=Meet world's first AI minister Diella giving birth to 83 'AI children' to reshape Albania's future |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/meet-worlds-first-ai-minister-diella-giving-birth-to-83-ai-children-to-reshape-albanias-future/articleshow/124847640.cms |url-status=live |access-date=December 17, 2025 |work=Times of India |pages=1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Lacsina |first=Nathaniel |date=October 26, 2025 |title=Albania's AI 'minister' Diella 'pregnant' with 83 digital children |url=https://gulfnews.com/world/offbeat/albanias-ai-minister-diella-pregnant-with-83-digital-children-1.500321907 |url-status=live |access-date=December 17, 2025 |work=Gulf News |pages=1}}</ref> It is the usage of a metaphor indicating that each minister of the Albanian parliament of the Socialist Party will receive their own AI assistant.
==Ministerial role== On 11{{nbsp}}September 2025, Diella was formally appointed "Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kryeministria.al/en/ministrat/diella/|title=Diella|publisher=Council of Ministers of Albania|access-date=12 September 2025}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Albania introduces AI-powered minister to end corruption in public procurement - Global Government Forum |url=https://www.globalgovernmentforum.com/albania-introduces-ai-powered-minister-to-end-corruption-in-public-procurement/ |access-date=2025-10-09 |language=en-US}}</ref> The appointment followed a presidential decree authorizing the Prime Minister to oversee the creation and operation of a virtual AI minister. Procurement responsibilities are planned to be transferred gradually to the system to reduce political influence in tender procedures. The appointment is part of broader anti-corruption reforms and measures intended to align Albania with European Union accession requirements.<ref>{{cite web |title=Albania appoints AI bot as minister to tackle corruption |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/albania-appoints-ai-bot-minister-tackle-corruption-2025-09-11/ |website=Reuters |date=11 September 2025 |access-date=18 September 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Presidenti Begaj nuk humb kohë, dekreton Edi Ramën! Kryeministri merr përgjegjësitë edhe për "Diellën" |trans-title=President Begaj wastes no time, Decrees Edi Rama! Prime Minister also takes responsabilities for "Diella" |url=https://newsbomb.al/politike/presidenti-begaj-nuk-humb-kohe-dekreton-edi-ramen-kryeministri-merr-prg-i372863/ |website=Newsbomb.al |date=17 September 2025 |language=sq |access-date=18 September 2025}}</ref>
Prime Minister Edi Rama stated that Diella would help ensure that "public tenders will be 100% free of corruption".<ref>{{cite web |last=Semini |first=Llazar |date=12 September 2025 |title=Albania's leader says his new Cabinet includes an AI 'minister' to fight corruption |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/albanias-leader-cabinet-includes-ai-minister-fight-corruption-113302123 |access-date=13 September 2025 |website=ABC News |agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref name=":1" />
==Reception== An article in ''Balkan Insight'' commented that "The ambition behind Diella is not misplaced. Standardised criteria and digital trails could reduce discretion, improve trust, and strengthen oversight" in public procurement, but warned that the use of AI in evaluating bids also posed "profound" risks such as accountability gaps, undermining of due process and cybersecurity failures.<ref name=":0" />
On 18{{nbsp}}September 2025, Edi Rama presented a video of Diella delivering a speech to the Albanian parliament, where she stated: "I'm not here to replace people, but to help them." The presentation prompted protests from opposition MPs, who objected to the use of an artificial intelligence system in the parliamentary session. Gazment Bardhi, head of the opposition Democratic Party's parliamentary group, described Diella as "a propaganda fantasy" and "a virtual façade to hide this government's gigantic daily thefts." The parliamentary session, which was scheduled to include debate on the new cabinet and government programme, ended after 25{{nbsp}}minutes. Eighty-two Socialist MPs voted in favour, while opposition MPs did not participate in the ballot as they were protesting the presentation of Diella's speech. Political analyst Andi Bushati characterised the session as "unprecedented" because it concluded without the customary debate between government and opposition MPs.<ref name=sinoruka>{{Cite web |last=Sinoruka |first=Fjori |date=2025-09-18 |title=Albanian Opposition Furious as AI 'Minister' Makes Parliament 'Speech' |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2025/09/18/albanian-opposition-furious-as-ai-minister-makes-parliament-speech/ |access-date=2025-09-19 |website=Balkan Insight |language=en-US}}</ref>
This has been criticized not just by the opposition but by regular citizens regardless of politics. Most have criticized Diella's uselessness and the funds wasted for this project, some have criticized the non-traditional attire.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Markovic Khaze |first=Nina |date=13 November 2025 |title=Albania's AI-generated minister is impressive spectacle, questionable reform |url=https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/albania-s-ai-generated-minister-impressive-spectacle-questionable-reform |url-status=live |access-date=17 December 2025 |work=TheInterpreter |pages=1}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.kryeministria.al/en/ministrat/diella/ Homepage] on the website of Council of Ministers
{{Portal bar|Albania|Politics}}
Category:2025 establishments in Albania Category:2025 software Category:Artificial intelligence Category:Computer-related introductions in 2025 Category:E-government in Albania Category:Fictional females Category:Government ministers of Albania