Albanian Actor Sues Government Over Use Of Her Face, Voice As ‘AI Minister’

Last Updated:February 13, 2026, 21:40 IST

Actor Anila Bisha sues the Albanian government for using her face and voice in the AI minister 'Diella', unveiled by PM Edi Rama.

An Albanian actor has filed a lawsuit against the government, alleging that her face and voice were used without consent to create a virtual “AI minister" introduced by Prime Minister Edi Rama.

The AI-generated avatar, named “Diella", which means “sun" in Albanian, was unveiled last September at the start of Rama’s fourth term in office. The virtual minister was presented as a technological initiative aimed at overseeing government contract awards and strengthening anti-corruption measures.

However, actor Anila Bisha claims she never agreed to have her likeness used in that capacity. While she acknowledges permitting the government last year to use her image and voice for an AI-powered virtual assistant designed to help citizens and businesses access state services, she says she did not consent to being portrayed as a member of the prime minister’s cabinet.

“First, I was surprised, smiled and said it must be a joke," Bisha told Reuters. “Now people call me Diella and consider me just another minister of the government."

She says the situation has led to online harassment and uncomfortable encounters in public, particularly among those critical of the government. “People who don’t like the prime minister now also hate me," she said.

The Albanian government has rejected her claims, describing the lawsuit as baseless. In a statement to Reuters, the government’s press office said: “The lawsuit is nonsense, but we welcome the opportunity to resolve it once and for all in a court of law."

The controversy comes amid broader scrutiny of the government. Since December, public attention has intensified after a special prosecution unit indicted Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku on allegations of interfering in infrastructure tenders, charges she denies.

Diella’s image appears prominently on the government’s official website alongside photos of Prime Minister Rama and Balluku.

A court is expected to decide whether to order the government to stop using Bisha’s image. Her lawyer, Aranit Roshi, said she is seeking €1 million in damages. He noted that Albanian law allows penalties of up to €21 million in cases involving violations of personal data by state institutions, arguing that the compensation sought is proportionate.

The case has raised broader questions about consent, digital likeness rights and the use of artificial intelligence in government communications.

News world Albanian Actor Sues Government Over Use Of Her Face, Voice As ‘AI Minister’

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