Overview

• Prime Minister Edi Rama presented the AI system, Diella, to lawmakers, and the avatar delivered a short address emphasizing accountability and that it would assist rather than replace people.
• Opposition MPs staged noisy protests that cut the session short and then boycotted the vote, but the government program passed with 82 votes in the 140-seat parliament.
• Rama says Diella will make decisions on all public procurement to ensure full transparency and reduce opportunities for graft.
• Diella originated as an e-Albania virtual assistant built with Microsoft and has facilitated about 1 million user inquiries and documents.
• Opponents call the appointment unconstitutional and vow a Constitutional Court challenge, while the government links the initiative to its goal of joining the European Union by 2030.