An Albanian actress, Anila Bisha, has taken legal action against her country's government for using her likeness in the creation of 'Diella', a pioneering AI-based virtual minister for digital intelligence. This move follows an announcement from Prime Minister Edi Rama, who introduced the AI minister as a step towards harnessing technology to combat corruption in the public sector. The Albanian government has sought to present 'Diella' as an innovative solution to corruption, given Albania's low rank on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index.

Diella was initially launched as an assistant on the e-Albania platform, facilitating access to government services while visually representing traditional Albanian culture. However, the lawsuit now puts the future use of her image and the authority of 'Diella' at significant risk. The case highlights the contentious issues surrounding identity, privacy, and the ethical implications of using a real person's likeness in artificial intelligence applications.

As a response, this legal action raises important questions about creators' rights and governmental accountability in using technology driven by human likenesses. If the court sides with Bisha, it may set a precedent regarding consent and intellectual property, which could impact similar initiatives in technology and public governance not only in Albania but potentially in other countries as well.