When ministers become machines

What looks like a small-country experiment could be the start of a global shift.

Author

Malcolm Frank, CEO
September 16, 2025

When ministers become machines

Albania just crossed a line most of us thought was still years away. Prime Minister Edi Rama has appointed Diella, an AI-built virtual assistant, as the world’s first AI minister: responsible for public procurement, awarding government tenders, and tackling corruption. Imagine Howard Lutnick or RFK Jr. being replaced by a bot.

I know what you’re thinking: Slow down, it’s Albania. But that’s exactly why it matters. In a country long dogged by corruption, the antidote is AI. “Diella” means sunshine in Albanian, and this unbribable machine has been wrapped in cultural tradition but hardwired for transparency.

Why does this matter beyond foreign headlines? Because it signals something truly radical. Governments are no longer hiring human ministers to manage parts of the system; they’re handing over decision-making authority to machines. If AI can be trusted in public tendering, why can’t it manage customer contracts, compliance, or even corporate oversight.

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