Albania Puts AI Assistant in Charge of Public Procurement - Cutting Corruption or Creating Chaos?

Albania just handed the keys to its $1.2 billion annual procurement budget to an AI system—bypassing human oversight entirely.

The Algorithmic Overseer

This isn't some simple automation tool. We're talking full procurement authority: vendor selection, contract awards, compliance monitoring. The system analyzes bids in real-time, flags irregularities, and executes decisions without bureaucratic delay.

Transparency vs Control

Supporters claim it eliminates graft by removing human discretion—because apparently the only thing more corrupt than politicians is nobody being in charge at all. Critics warn about algorithmic bias, lack of accountability, and the charming notion of explaining to taxpayers why a machine approved a $50 million bridge to nowhere.

Finance's Ironic Twist

Meanwhile, traditional procurement consultants are suddenly discovering the virtues of human oversight—right around the time their billable hours got automated into oblivion.