The world’s first AI minister has addressed Albania’s parliament, warning that the “real danger” comes not from bots like herself but from “inhumane decisions” of people in power.

The avatar, named Diella (meaning “sun”), appeared as a woman dressed in traditional Albanian dress.

“Some have called me ‘unconstitutional’ because I am not a human being,” the AI-generated bot said.

“Let me remind you, the real danger to constitutions has never been the machines but the inhumane decisions of those in power.”

Deilla’s controversial role will be to handle public procurement, with the claim that she will be impervious to bribes, threats, or attempts to curry favour.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said the bot would manage and award all public tenders in which the government contracted private companies for various projects.

“Diella is the first cabinet member who isn’t physically present, but is virtually created by AI,” Rama said during a speech unveiling his new cabinet last week.

She will help make the eastern European nation “a country where public tenders are 100 per cent free of corruption”.

The opposition slammed Diella’s appointment as “nothing more than to attract attention”.

“It is impossible to curb corruption with Diella,” former prime minister and opposition leader Sali Berisha said.

“Who will control Diella? Diella is unconstitutional, and the Democratic Party will take the matter to the Constitutional Court.”

The awarding of contracts has long been a source of corruption scandals in Albania, a Balkan country that experts say is a hub for gangs seeking to launder money from trafficking drugs and weapons across the world, and where graft has reached the corridors of power.

That image has complicated Albania’s accession to the European Union, which Rama wants to achieve by 2030 but which political analysts say is ambitious.

The government provided no details of any human oversight for Diella, and did not address risks that someone could manipulate the artificial intelligence bot.

Diella originally launched early this year as an AI-powered virtual assistant on the e-Albania platform, helping citizens and businesses obtain state documents.

She provides assistance through voice commands and issues documents with electronic stamps, reducing bureaucratic delays.

Not everyone is convinced. One Facebook user said: “Even Diella will be corrupted in Albania.”

Another said: “Stealing will continue and Diella will be blamed.”

The new parliament, elected in May, is scheduled to convene on Friday, though it remains unclear if the government will be voted on the same day.

-with AAP