Albania wants to use artificial intelligence to govern the country

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said the country could use artificial intelligence to fight corruption, increase transparency and even manage entire ministries, Politico reports.

During a press conference in July, he suggested that Albania could one day have a ministry run entirely by AI, free from nepotism and conflicts of interest. Rama also floated the idea that local developers could create an AI model that would be "elected" by the minister, and in the future, the country could have a government and prime minister made entirely of artificial intelligence.

Although no official steps have yet been taken in this direction, Rama called for serious consideration of the possibility.

Former ruling party politician and author Ben Blushi supported the idea, saying that AI governments are entirely possible and could radically change the way we think about democracy. In his opinion, if public services can be effectively provided by artificial intelligence, there is no point in choosing between human candidates. Blushi emphasized that AI does not make mistakes, does not need a salary, cannot be bribed and works continuously.

Albania has long struggled with widespread corruption that permeates all aspects of life, including politics. The ruling party has been repeatedly implicated in corruption cases, and many officials have been indicted and convicted. Opposition leader Sali Berisha is currently on trial on corruption charges, and former Prime Minister and President Ilir Meta is serving a prison sentence.

According to Rama, the introduction of AI into governance could be not only a technological breakthrough, but also an important step on Albania's path to joining the EU.