Albania Expands AI Diella Into 83 Parliamentary Assistants

Albania’s virtual AI minister Diella, developed by the National Agency for Information Society in collaboration with Microsoft and launched earlier this year to help run the e-Albania portal, was announced by Prime Minister Edi Rama to be expanded into 83 digital assistants. Rama said each of the 83 AI assistants will be assigned to Socialist Party MPs to monitor parliamentary sessions, keep records, alert when legislators are absent, and offer suggestions drawing on Diella’s knowledge base. The expansion builds on Diella’s ministerial remit, which includes oversight of public procurement the government says will reduce bribery and increase transparency. Critics called the move “tasteless” and warned it risks serving as political theater, while analysts and journalists highlighted unresolved questions about accountability and human oversight. Observers also raised concerns about how AI-driven decisions, such as tender awards, would be challenged or made transparent.