Albania Just Appointed an AI Minister — and Half the Room Walked Out
For years, governments have promised that technology would make politics more transparent, efficient, and fair. But no one expected it to stand at the podium. This week, Albania made history by appointing an artificial intelligence system named Diella as its new Minister of State for Procurement and Governance — the first AI to hold a cabinet position. Within minutes of the announcement, half the parliament walked out. What began as a bold experiment in digital reform has quickly turned into a global debate about what it really means to lead, and who — or what — should be trusted to do it.
The First AI in Office
Albania’s Prime Minister introduced Diella as part of a sweeping effort to curb corruption and speed up bureaucratic processes. Diella, the government says, can monitor spending, analyze contracts, and flag irregularities faster than any human could. The goal is simple: eliminate favoritism, reduce waste, and bring algorithmic accountability to one of the country’s most politically sensitive sectors — public funds.
In its early tests, Diella reportedly reviewed thousands of procurement documents in seconds, identifying duplicate contracts and pricing anomalies that might otherwise go unnoticed. Supporters see this as proof that technology can finally outpace the paper trails and politics that have long slowed reform.
Efficiency Meets Identity
But not everyone sees Diella as progress. Many lawmakers — and citizens — worry that placing an AI in a ministerial seat crosses a line between tool and authority. During the announcement, opposition members stood up and left the chamber in protest, calling the move “an insult to human leadership.” Their concern wasn’t just about jobs or symbolism; it was about accountability.
If an algorithm makes a decision about how public money is spent, who takes responsibility when things go wrong? Can voters question a machine? Can it explain itself in moral, not just statistical, terms? For all of AI’s precision, these are questions no code can answer.
The Promise and the Risk
Proponents argue that AI governance could solve problems humans haven’t been able to fix. Machines don’t tire, don’t lobby, and don’t accept bribes. But they also don’t feel empathy, context, or public pressure — qualities that often guide human judgment. The danger isn’t just technical failure; it’s emotional distance. If citizens feel unheard, even the most efficient system can lose legitimacy.
Albania’s experiment highlights a deeper global tension: people want better governance, but they also want to see themselves represented in it. Progress feels hollow when it replaces rather than empowers.
A Glimpse of Digital Leadership
Still, Diella’s appointment might mark the beginning of a new kind of leadership — one that blends data-driven oversight with human ethics. The Albanian government insists that Diella won’t operate alone; it will serve under human supervision, with every recommendation subject to review. If that balance holds, it could set a model for “co-governance,” where AI serves as an unblinking watchdog rather than a replacement for elected power.
If Diella succeeds, it could inspire similar experiments worldwide — from AI auditors in finance to digital ministers managing logistics, energy, or education. But if it fails, the backlash could slow public trust in AI for years to come.
In the end, the question isn’t whether AI can lead, but whether humans can stay comfortable being led by something that never sleeps, never feels, and never truly belongs to them.
Sources
- Reuters, “Albania Appoints First AI Minister to Oversee Public Spending” (2025)
- BBC, “Lawmakers Walk Out as AI Joins Albanian Cabinet” (2025)
- Politico Europe, “Diella and the Rise of Algorithmic Governance” (2025)
- The Guardian, “AI in Power: Albania’s Bold Experiment with Machine Leadership” (2025)