0 comments
The nation did the unthinkable and put an AI entity in charge of public procurement in an effort to combat the nation’s high levels of corruption.
Artificial intelligence is everywhere. From aiding students in their studies to detecting diseases, our lives are becoming increasingly intertwined with AI. This also applies to governments worldwide, some of which use it to automate processes or even to make e-portals easier for citizens to use.
However, no one anticipated that AI would be used for purposes other than simplifying and expediting government procedures. Well, that was before Albania boldly announced the appointment of the world’s first AI minister. Its rationale? To tackle the nation’s high corruption rate.
Corruption in Albania
Globally, countries are ranked on the Corruption Perception Index (CPI), which measures the extent to which public authority is misused for private gain. The index is scored out of 100, representing a nation free of corruption. Albania, however, received a score of 42, placing it on the border of severe.
Though its government employed a task force equipped with the power to persecute those at the highest levels of command, the issue persists, especially when it comes to procurements. This sector frequently involves the government in substantial financial transactions with the public.
Often, this avenue is used by gangs to launder their organised crime funds, while, in other instances, the public may just end up bribing officials involved to approve public tenders. Either way, money is a tool used by corrupt individuals to make themselves rich, at the cost of the law.
