World's first virtual minister in court in Albania

DW News · Feb 23, 2026 · Collected from RSS

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On September 11, 2025, Albanian actor Anila Bisha was sitting at home with her family, watching the live presentation of the country's new cabinet by Edi Rama, prime minister of Albania. What followed took her completely by surprise: She saw herself appointed minister — not as a flesh-and-blood politician, but as an avatar. "Diella," whom Rama introduced as the world's first virtual minister, had Bisha's face and voice. For the government, it was a bold display of technological innovation. For Bisha, an actor with a stage and screen career spanning almost 40 years, it was something else entirely. "I laughed about it with my family at first," she told DW. "I did not understand the consequences that would follow." What was presented as a symbol of digital modernity soon revealed a more complex reality.Anila Bisha says that she signed a contract in December 2024, allowing her image and voice to be used for a chatbot on e-Albania for one year, but was never told that they would be used for the ministerImage: Adnan Beci/AFP The image of a virtual minister portrayed Albania as a pioneer in the use of artificial intelligence in governance. But the spectacle masked unresolved questions that would eventually shift the debate from the cabinet to the courtroom. From virtual assistant to ministerial role Before she became a minister on screen, "Diella" was something far more simple. The avatar first appeared as a digital assistant on e-Albania, the government's online portal, which is designed to guide citizens through public services. According to Bisha's court filing, she signed a contract in December 2024, allowing her image and voice to be used for that specific purpose for a period of one year. Then came the cabinet presentation where Albania was introduced to its new minister for artificial intelligence, who had the very same name, face and voice as the e-Albania digital assistant and, therefore, actor Anila Bisha. The court must decide Bisha says she was not informed that the avatar would take on a ministerial role.Anila Bisha says that people have called her 'Minister Diella' in publicImage: Privat Her lawyer, Aranit Roshi, describes the contract she concluded as being limited in scope. "It was an exclusive object, an exclusive purpose. This means her image and voice could not be used for any other product," he said. The government has dismissed the allegations. "In our view, the claim has no basis," a government representative said in a statement, adding that it is ultimately up to the court to decide who is right.A case of personal data protection Legal experts say the dispute is not primarily about copyright, but about personal data protection. "The essence of the case is the violation of personal data," says Elton Peppo, associate professor at the Faculty of Law at the University of Tirana. Under Albanian law, which is fully aligned with EU data protection standards, a person's image and voice qualify as personal data. "Any use beyond the duration or the agreed purpose of the contract constitutes a breach," he explained to DW. Bisha has asked the Administrative Court to suspend the use of her image and voice until a final ruling is issued. A court hearing to decide on the temporary suspension is scheduled for February 23. In her filing, she names the Council of Ministers, the National Agency for Information Society (AKSHI), the private company involved in producing the avatar, and Prime Minister Edi Rama as defendants.Albania's new AI-generated minister, 'Diella,' addressed the Albanian parliament in Tirana on September 18Image: Adnan Beci/AFP She is also seeking €1 million in moral damages. For months, Anila Bisha says, people have been addressing her in public as "Minister Diella." The digital figure has begun to eclipse the person behind it. The overlap is no longer technical, but personal. A form of identity duplication Mark Marku, dean of the Faculty of History and Philology and lecturer at the Department of Journalism and Communication at the University of Tirana, describes such cases as a form of identity duplication. "Together with the image, you do not sell your personality," he told DW, explaining that a person may license their likeness for a specific purpose, but that does not automatically transfer their beliefs, values or political positioning. "No one has the right to take someone's identity and use it beyond what was agreed." There is also a considerable difference between the role of the avatar and that of the minister: A digital assistant answers technical questions; a minister speaks for the state. After being appointed minister, "Diella" appeared on a large screen in Albania's parliament to address lawmakers as minister for artificial intelligence. She also featured at various public events inside and outside the country. The script may be written by others, but the face remains the same.'No one has the right to take someone's identity and use it beyond what was agreed,' says Mark Marku, lecturer in journalism and communicationsImage: Rashela Shehu Bisha says she sometimes feared what her digital double would say. "In some cases, such as in the Albanian parliament, I was worried," she said. Internationally celebrated innovation Internationally, the project has been celebrated. In February 2026, "Diella" was selected from more than 1,500 submissions across over 100 countries to receive the Global Future Fit Seal at the World Governments Summit in Dubai — an award recognizing forward-looking government innovations. Technically, however, "Diella" remains a chatbot, a virtual assistant operating within defined parameters. IT expert Besmir Semanaj says there is no public evidence that the system has evolved into an autonomous AI decision-maker. "We still don't know whether 'Diella' has been trained as an independent system," he told DW. Innovation under investigation When presenting "Diella" as minister for artificial intelligence, Prime Minister Edi Rama promised a new era in which "public tenders will be 100% incorruptible, and every public fund 100% transparent." In practice, however, the avatar is not a standalone innovation but part of Albania's state digital governance system.'We still don't know whether 'Diella' has been trained as an independent system,' says IT expert Besmir SemanajImage: Privat The system is overseen by the National Agency for Information Society (AKSHI), a public institution that manages the country's digital government infrastructure (e-Albania), public databases, state IT systems and procurement processes. Hundreds of public services are delivered through the e-Albania portal, where the avatar was first deployed. In December 2025, Albania's Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO) ordered precautionary measures — including house arrest — against senior AKSHI officials as part of an investigation by the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecution (SPAK) into alleged corruption and abuse of office. The case reportedly focuses on suspicions of irregularities in public tenders and procurement procedures related to digital infrastructure and service contracts. The investigation into AKSHI is legally separate from the lawsuit filed by Bisha over the use of her likeness. Yet, as media scholar Mark Marku argues, perception matters. If a system is introduced as a way to curb what he calls "homo corruptus" — the subjective human factor in public spending and tender procedures — then allegations concerning the institution managing that system inevitably affect the perceived credibility of that system and, therefore, such initiatives as "Diella." Edited by: Aingeal Flanagan