For government officials, being called heartless is an occupational hazard. But Albania has chosen to turn that insult into a positive quality, by appointing an AI minister.
Not a minister for artificial intelligence. Rather, a cabinet member who is, literally, the work of AI. The new addition is, like a pop star, known simply by the single name: Diella.
Prime Minister Edi Rama introduced her as a member of his new cabinet on Thursday, four months after securing his fourth term in office. However, the move was symbolic rather than official, as Albania's constitution insists that government ministers must be mentally competent citizens aged at least 18.
Still, the advantages of appointing a bot over a human are obvious. Diella, whose name means sun in Albanian, is unlikely to be the source of any unflattering leaks about the government.
In fact, corruption was uppermost in Rama's mind when he made Diella part of his team as minister for public procurement. Her role will be to ensure that Albania will become a country where public tenders are 100% free of corruption.
Rama boasts that Diella has helped more than a million applications on the e-Albania platform. But his vision for AI's government role is a lot grander than a mere chatbot.
Reactions to Diella's new role are, understandably, mixed. The opposition Democratic Party has labelled the initiative ridiculous and unconstitutional. But others are cautiously optimistic.
Anti-corruption experts have also noted the potential for AI to be deployed to minimise graft. Dr Andi Hoxhaj of King's College London mentions that if programmed correctly, AI could significantly enhance the transparency of public bidding processes.
Edi Rama does not deny that there is an element of a publicity stunt to his latest wheeze. But he insists that there is serious intent behind the playful presentation.
In essence, this innovative appointment could transform how Albanian government operates, setting a precedent for other nations grappling with corruption.
