Yes, AI minister, more of your lot in government

Anyone remember Sophia? Let me rephrase: Anyone remember Sophia, the social humanoid robot created by a Hong Kong-based Hanson Robotics in 2016, that/who was granted Saudi citizenship in 2017, becoming the first artificial intelligence to obtain legal personhood in any country? She now serves as a UN innovation ambassador.

But beyond the novelty value - of AI, as well as Saudi citizenship - let's face it, AI is top of mind because of another reason: after automation has been rapidly taking over blue-collar jobs, AI is now threatening to take over white-collar jobs, many of our jobs. But if you feel a wobbly over that, know that you may not be alone. The next target for AI seems to be [sinister human smile] ministers.

Now, it's quite uncommon for humans to voluntarily cede a governing role to another human, let alone a non-human. But Albania now has officially appointed an AI-generated minister, Diella, who will oversee all public tender decisions as minister for public procurements. In other words, to tackle public corruption. This was after Albania's fourth-term PM Edi Rama announced on September 11 a presidential decree authorising Rama to oversee the creation of a virtual AI minister. Albania today, how far AI-behind will other countries be?


AI-powered robots are now taking on the role of teachers, fashion models, singers, and news anchors (like India Today's AI-generated 'Lisa' and Odisha TV's 'Sana'). AI-generated judges have already been tested in China and Estonia to settle lower-level court cases. AI is becoming increasingly integrated into the political sphere too. But with an AI-created minister in Tirana, could we be seeing the start of a new class of entities entrusted with governing societies, or even making policies?

Rama stated that his appointment of Diella is to ensure that the public tender process is '100 percent corruption-free' and 'perfectly transparent'. Diella, after all, is likely to be above suspicion, unlike Caesar's second wife Pompeia, whom he divorced after an alleged (sexual) scandal. The AI-generated minister is expected to be 'impervious to bribes, threats, or attempts to curry favour'.

Diella - 'sun' in Albanian - was first unveiled in January as an AI-powered digital assistant that would help individuals with voice and text communication. The device could print documents with digital stamps, represented by an animated avatar dressed in traditional Albanian clothes. By September, she had already helped with about 1,000 services and over 36,600 documents.

Remember, Nepal chose its interim prime minister, Sushila Karki, earlier this month after members of its protesting youth movement used ChatGPT to help make the choice. After the chatbot served up a list of potential candidates on the online forum, Youths Against Corruption, ChatGPT was reportedly asked to 'debate the pros and cons' of various stand-in leaders.

But after Diella's appointment, some intriguing questions hang in the air. Would ministers created by AI become commonplace in other countries, including in India, one day? Would they also have to be elected by ballot or appointed? And if standing for elections, who will press the EVM buttons/cast the paper votes? Would ministerial candidates, regardless of political party, whose jobs may be replaced by a member of another 'species', put a stop to any such proceedings?

Diella's appointment seems to have a purpose. Since corruption is a 'sticking point' in Albania, and the country hopes to join the EU by 2030, its government is eager to appear taking tough measures against graft. Would similar corruption ridden countries, or states within countries, take this tech-driven option?

Not everyone believes a Diella-like public representative is the solution. One social media respondent predicted that 'stealing will continue and Diella will be blamed'. Another warned that 'even Diella will be corrupted'. Even with the Albanian example, it'll be a hard call for AI representation in matters of state. Unless, of course, this is the start to a trajectory that will end in a Terminator-style takeover, with potential AI ministers - even potential prime ministers - replying to human ministerial rebuffs with: 'I'll be back.'

The writer is professor of statistics, Indian

Statistical Institute, Kolkata