World's first virtual minister in court in Albania
Deutsche Welle
February 23, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Albanian actor Anila Bisha has filed a lawsuit against the government after her image and voice were used to create "Diella," the world's first virtual minister, without her consent. During a live presentation of Albania's new cabinet in September 2025, Prime Minister Edi Rama introduced Diella as the country's minister for artificial intelligence. The avatar bore Bisha's face and voice, shocking her when she saw it displayed publicly. Bisha claims she signed a contract in December 2024 allowing her image and voice to be used for a chatbot on e-Albania, the government's online portal, but was never informed that they would be repurposed for a ministerial avatar. The case has raised significant legal and ethical questions.
The government defended its use of Bisha's likeness, arguing it was a technological innovation to modernize public services. However, Bisha's lawyer, Aranit Roshi, argued that the contract was limited to specific purposes and did not authorize the creation of a virtual minister. The case hinges on personal data protection laws, which classify image and voice as sensitive data under EU standards. Legal experts agree, stating that any use beyond the agreed terms constitutes a breach of privacy. Bisha has asked the court to suspend the use of her image and voice until a final ruling is made.
The controversy highlights broader concerns about digital identity theft and consent in public projects involving AI. Bisha has also sought €1 million in moral damages, citing the impact on
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Originally published on Deutsche Welle on 2/23/2026