The world’s first AI minister to fight corruption… knocked out by a knockout blow.

Alsharq Tribune- Sarah Benkraouda 

“Diella,” the world’s first government minister created using artificial intelligence, was supposed to help curb widespread corruption in Albania. Instead, the virtual minister fell victim to corruption within the very body that developed her.

Albania’s Special Prosecutor’s Office Against Corruption announced that the director of the National Agency for Information Society and her deputy have been placed under house arrest on suspicion of corruption, according to The New York Times.

Although no formal charges have yet been filed, the two officials are suspected of abusing their positions to manipulate procurement procedures for government contracts worth up to approximately €7.4 million.

Commenting on the case, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said, “We must wait and see.”

The agency in question is the government body responsible for the country’s digital infrastructure.

It oversees projects such as the e-Albania platform and was also behind the development of “Diella,” Albania’s first AI-powered virtual minister, created to enhance transparency in public tenders.

Last September, Prime Minister Rama announced that his new government would include a “virtual minister” responsible for managing public funding projects and combating corruption in public bidding—an unprecedented step worldwide.

Rama added that Diella—whose name means “sun” in Albanian—would be “a member of the Cabinet who is not physically present but will be created virtually through artificial intelligence.”

Diella was launched as a virtual assistant on Albania’s electronic public services platform, where she helps users navigate the site while wearing traditional Albanian attire.