Albania’s Prime Minister Just Appointed a Digitally Created ‘Minister for AI’
Diella raises questions about where politics ends and tech begins.
In September 2025, Albania’s Prime Minister, Edi Rama, introduced one of the most unusual government tech experiments in recent memory. At the Berlin Global Dialogue conference, he introduced an artificial intelligence system named Diella and announced her appointment as the country’s “Minister of State for AI.”
The move instantly drew global attention and sparked online debate about whether Albania had just taken a step toward innovation or absurdity. But weeks later, Rama made an even stranger revelation. Diella, he said, was “pregnant” with 83 virtual children who would each serve as a digital parliamentary assistant for members of his ruling Socialist Party.
These AI aides are designed to take notes, summarize debates, and remind MPs who to respond to in parliament. It's a kind of digital babysitting that feels both efficient and slightly dystopian.
Emmanuel Umahi
Diella isn't entirely new to Albanians, though. She began as a chatbot on the government’s e-Albania portal, where she helped citizens navigate public services. Built in partnership with Microsoft, she has since evolved into an animated avatar dressed in traditional Albanian clothing and powered by a large language model similar to ChatGPT.
Rama described her evolution and ministerial role as part of a national strategy to promote transparency and digital innovation as Albania works toward joining the European Union by 2030.
But not everyone is impressed. Opposition lawmakers have dismissed the AI experiment as a publicity stunt meant to distract from corruption scandals and governance issues. During Diella’s first appearance in parliament, protests reportedly broke out as critics questioned whether her role represented real reform or merely political theatre.
Still, the symbolism is hard to ignore. Whether Diella’s 83 “digital children” become meaningful tools for accountability or fade into a viral curiosity, Albania has pushed the boundaries of what AI in government might look like. The country now stands at the intersection of experimentation, ambition, and spectacle.
The takeaway
Albania’s AI project shows how politics and technology are colliding in unpredictable ways. In the rush to appear “future ready,” even governance can start to look like a tech demo.
Emmanuel Umahi
