Albanian actress Anila Bisha has initiated legal action against her government, claiming that her likeness and voice were utilized to create the country’s first artificial intelligence minister. This unprecedented case has drawn attention to the ethical implications of AI in governance.
Bisha expressed her surprise at the government’s decision to use her image without her consent, stating that she feels her likeness has been co-opted for political purposes. She has filed an official request in the Administrative Court of Albania, demanding an immediate halt to the use of her voice and image for the AI minister named Diella.
While Bisha had previously signed a contract permitting the use of her voice and image for the government’s online platform, e-Albania, she did not anticipate that these assets would be transformed into a virtual minister. “I never thought it would go this far,” she remarked.
Since the introduction of Diella in September 2022, Bisha has attempted to reach out to government officials multiple times but has not received a response to her requests for a meeting.
On September 11, 2022, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama unveiled Diella, marking Albania as the first nation to appoint a virtual minister. Diella oversees the e-Albania platform, which provides digital access to nearly all state services in the country. The AI minister is represented by an avatar of a young woman dressed in traditional Albanian attire.
In a controversial statement made in October, Prime Minister Rama suggested that Diella, the AI minister for public procurement, was “pregnant” and would give birth to 83 AI assistants for members of the Albanian parliament.
Anila Bisha is suing the Albanian government for using her image and voice to create an AI minister without her consent. This case raises significant ethical questions about AI’s role in governance and personal rights.
Source: CNN