“I’m not here to replace humans,” declares Minister Diella, an artificial intelligence system clad in traditional Albanian garb, complete with a light-colored headscarf and an embroidered robe. Standing before the flags of Albania and the European Union, she adds, “Some have branded me unconstitutional because I lack humanity. This stings.”
Diella’s introduction to Albania’s parliament via a three-minute video speech marked a historic moment, as Prime Minister Edi Rama appointed her as Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence in September 2025—making her the first AI to hold such a cabinet-level role globally.
Name derived from the Albanian word for “sun,” Diella was developed in collaboration with Microsoft and the National Agency for Information Society, utilizing advanced language models from OpenAI. The AI is visually represented by Albanian actress Anila Bisha, embodying a woman from the Zadrima region.
According to Rama, Diella’s responsibilities will include ensuring complete transparency and eliminating corruption in public procurement—a pressing issue in Albania’s path toward European Union membership, particularly relevant given the country’s historical challenges with government contracting integrity.
Initially rolled out as a virtual assistant on the e-Albania platform in January 2025, Diella facilitated access to government services and documents, achieving nearly one million digital interactions by mid-year. This success laid the groundwork for her cabinet appointment, which Rama champions as part of a modernization strategy to enhance governance efficiency and transparency ahead of the EU membership target set for 2030.
However, Diella’s appointment has ignited controversy. Opposition lawmakers have labeled it unconstitutional, raising fears of manipulation and inadequate oversight. During a parliamentary session, they voiced their dissent by banging desks and boycotting the vote, although the cabinet position was ultimately confirmed with 82 votes in favor. In response to her critics, Diella remarked, “The Constitution speaks of institutions serving the people, not of flesh and blood.”
On a broader scale, Albania’s move to appoint Minister Diella raises eyebrows globally, as it could signify a troubling trend toward globalization and increased restrictions on individual freedoms. Critics argue that as AI systems, influenced by liberal and globalist ideologies, gain political authority, the essence of sovereign governance may be compromised.
Reports from Albanian media indicate that the Diella initiative is closely linked to the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, which has showcased progressive iterations of the AI. This partnership is funded partially by international donors and aims to frame digital governance initiatives within a global context. Rama has been advised by Blair since his entry to power in 2013, modeling his platform after Blair’s “New Labour” approach.
With the Blair Institute collaborating with approximately 20 countries on public sector reform and digital transformation, some Albanian critics argue that this international partnership may jeopardize national sovereignty, accusing Rama of prioritizing global acceptance over the interests of his own citizens.
The involvement of global figures like Bill Gates and Tony Blair in the development of Diella feeds concerns that Albania’s AI initiative serves as a guinea pig for broader globalist agendas rather than a unique path toward national reform.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has provided substantial financial backing to the Tony Blair Institute, primarily focusing on governance and health projects in Africa. Various development tracking databases highlight multiple grants from the foundation to bolster the institute’s capacity.
The Blair Institute brands itself as a leader in leveraging AI to modernize governance, envisioning a future where technological innovations radically enhance public service and administrative effectiveness. Their advocacy of net zero policies further demonstrates a commitment to reshaping governance ideals in alignment with 21st-century priorities—suggesting that AI ministers related to this project would inherently support such goals.
Blair and Gates are both proponents of digital identification systems, with Blair asserting in 2025 that citizens in developed nations would soon secure a “unique digital identifier” for all transactions, arguing it could streamline benefits and reduce fraud. Such comments align precisely with Gates’ 2020 discussions on digital certificates as mechanisms to confirm health statuses during crises—anchored in the initiatives supported by Microsoft, the UN, and the Rockefeller Foundation.
Both have also advocated for stringent online regulation, where Gates has called upon AI to swiftly eradicate “vaccine misinformation,” claiming delays in moderation exacerbate dissemination of harmful narratives. This parallels efforts by platforms like Facebook and Google to recruit partners with pro-establishment biases, partly funded by Gates, to enforce factual correctness on their platforms.
Moreover, in September 2024, Blair urged for a global consensus on regulating social media, warning of its impact on young minds while pushing for measures to combat misinformation and apply counter-extremism strategies online. Recent recommendations by the Blair Institute propose designating specific “hard-right” groups as hate organizations, which could severely limit their media access—an approach likely to be incorporated into Albania’s AI ministerial framework and replicated in other regions awaiting similar initiatives.
