Actress sues government over AI minister image  

Anila Bisha has reportedly claimed her likeness was used without permission to create the world’s first virtual government official

An Albanian actress has sued the Balkan country’s government over its use of her likeness for a virtual minister for digital intelligence.

Diella, billed as the world’s first virtual government official, could soon lose her face after Anila Bisha, the actress whose likeness was used to create the AI bot, sued the government, media reported on Wednesday.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama last year floated the idea of appointing an AI minister and weeks later unveiled ‘Diella’, a virtual official tasked with tackling corruption in public procurement. Albania ranked 80th out of 180 countries in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index in 2024.

The bot initially launched on the e-Albania platform as a virtual assistant helping citizens access state services, appearing as a young woman in traditional Albanian dress.

Now authorities risk forfeiting the right to use the image of the virtual minister, who was modelled on the appearance and voice of actress Anila Bisha. She alleges her image was used without proper permission to create the virtual minister.

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The actress has filed a lawsuit against the Council of Ministers, Prime Minister Edi Rama, a private company involved in the project and the National Agency for Information Society (AKSHI), according to Gazeta Express.  

Bisha claimed her contract with the company Aleat allowed the use of her likeness only for a virtual assistant on the e-Albania platform and only until the end of 2025, and did not cover its use for creating or promoting a “virtual minister.”

“In our view, this lawsuit is nonsense, but we welcome the opportunity to solve it once and for all in a court of law,” Albanian government spokesperson Manjola Hasa told Politico.

In court documents reported by multiple Albanian media outlets, the 57-year-old actress is seeking an injunction to immediately halt the use of her image for AI minister Diella until the legal case is resolved, saying the government’s unauthorized use has caused “significant and irreversible” harm.

Last September, Bisha told local television that she had recorded video and audio for the e-Albania chatbot for a limited period and nominal payment, with no permission for other uses.