Albanian opposition lawmakers erupted in anger on Thursday as Prime Minister Edi Rama presented a ‘speech’ from Diella, the nation’s new Artificial Intelligence ‘Minister,’ within the parliament chamber. The AI entity, an avatar resembling a woman in traditional Albanian dress, stated its purpose was to assist, not replace, people.
Key Takeaways
- Opposition MPs boycotted a cabinet vote in protest of the AI ‘minister’.
- The AI, named Diella, is intended to combat corruption and conflicts of interest in public procurement.
- Critics dismiss the AI as a propaganda tool to mask government failures.
AI ‘Minister’ Unveiled
Prime Minister Edi Rama introduced Diella, an AI digital assistant, to the Albanian parliament. Diella, presented via a video screened to legislators, is designed to streamline public procurement processes and reduce corruption, nepotism, and conflicts of interest. Rama also announced that Diella has a dedicated Facebook page where it will engage with the public and answer questions.
"Hello, I am Diella, Thanks to my hard work as your assistant, I was elected Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence in the new government. My mission now is to make the government’s work easier every day," a video on the Diella Facebook account stated.
Opposition’s Fierce Reaction
Opposition members vehemently criticized the introduction of Diella, viewing it as a diversionary tactic by Rama’s government. Gazment Bardhi, head of the opposition Democratic Party’s parliamentary group, labeled Diella a "propaganda fantasy" and a "virtual facade to hide this government’s gigantic daily thefts," asserting that corruption and organized crime remain the true reality.
Parliamentary Session Disrupted
The presentation of Diella led to a boycott of the new cabinet vote by opposition MPs. The parliamentary session, which was scheduled for the approval of the new cabinet and government program, was significantly shortened to just 25 minutes due to the uproar. Political analyst Andi Bushati described the situation as "unprecedented," noting the lack of debate and the compliant voting by governing Socialist MPs, whom he likened to "sheep."
