The First AI Minister
The First AI Minister
On September 11, 2025, Albania announced Diella, a virtual minister built with artificial intelligence. She was assigned to oversee public procurement, a domain long marked by inefficiency and corruption. The appointment was symbolic as much as functional.
A minister is not only a manager but also an authority who signs acts, answers questions, and carries responsibility. Naming a program a minister treats code as a public officeholder rather than a tool. This shift matters because it changes how citizens understand power.
The promise is real. AI can process more data, apply rules consistently, and detect patterns of fraud faster than audits. It can enforce procedures without favoritism or delay. It can narrow discretion where corruption thrives.
The risks are just as clear. Discretion does not disappear; it moves into code, data, and vendor contracts. Citizens cannot remove or question an algorithm the way they can a politician. Accountability becomes harder to locate.
This is why the Albanian experiment matters. The first AI minister establishes precedent. If a government can call software a minister, others may follow. Titles alter expectations, and expectations reshape institutions long before legal limits are settled.
The future depends on design. AI should handle routine, rule-bound tasks. Humans should remain responsible for value choices and crises. Every decision should still bear a human signature. Logs and explanations should be public. Appeals should be simple and cheap.
The appointment of Diella signals a direction rather than a settled fact. If states integrate AI with transparency and clear lines of accountability, they may gain efficiency without losing consent. If they do not, power will drift into code beyond reach.