Albania has taken a bold step by appointing its first AI government official, and it’s not going smoothly. The virtual assistant named “Diella” recently delivered what was called an “inaugural address” to the Albanian parliament. The move was met with backlash from opposition lawmakers, leading to chaos in the chamber. Things got so heated that videos showed bottles and papers flying through the air as opposition members protested fiercely.

Diella’s Speech and Political Tensions

During what can only be described as a very unusual speech, Diella criticized those who questioned its appointment. The AI program said, “Some have called me ‘unconstitutional’ because I am not a human being,” adding that inhumane decisions by humans are a bigger threat to the constitution than machines. The opposition, mainly the Democratic Party of Albania, was quick to challenge the move, arguing that the AI’s appointment was unconstitutional and questioning who would oversee it.

The Democratic Party, led by a former prime minister, Sali Berisha, has its own corruption issues, which makes the fight over this AI minister even more complicated. Berisha threatened to take the matter to Albania’s Constitutional Court, calling the appointment unconstitutional. Meanwhile, the ruling party, the Socialist Party, sees Diella as a tool to crack down on corruption, which has long plagued Albania’s political system since the 1990s. Prime Minister Edi Rama initially joked about using AI for governance but then decided to appoint Diella, giving it full control over public contracts. Rama claims this will make government dealings transparent and free of corruption.

The Technology Behind Diella and Its Future

Diella started out as a simple virtual assistant, helping people navigate Albania’s digital government services through the e-Albania portal. It was developed by the National Agency for Information Society (AKSHI) using a Microsoft language model. Up until now, Diella only managed paperwork and communicated information between officials and the public. Its new role as a decision-maker in public procurements raises questions about whether AI can handle such complex tasks alone.

Many critics doubt that Diella can effectively control government contracts or root out corruption. Sali Berisha argues that the move is more about attracting attention than solving real problems. The core concern is: who will oversee Diella? Can an AI truly be held accountable if things go wrong? These questions highlight the broader debate about AI’s role in government and whether it can be trusted to make significant decisions without human oversight.

As Albania ventures into this uncharted territory, the world watches closely. The experiment raises a fundamental question: is AI the future of governance, or is it just a gimmick that could backfire? Only time will tell if Diella can deliver on its promises or if it will become a symbol of technological overreach. For now, the Albanian parliament remains divided, grappling with what this new digital era means for democracy and accountability.

Inspired by

• https://futurism.com/albania-diella-ai-minister

Sources

• gmpg.org
• telegrafi.com
• net.au
• parties-and-elections.eu
• europeanwesternbalkans.com