Experimenting with algorithmic governance: Artificial intelligence between innovation and democratic responsibility

Abstract

This reflection examines the impact of artificial intelligence on governance and political decision-making through an analysis of the emblematic case of the so-called “AI Minister” introduced in Albania. Situating this case within the broader debate on the political, social, and ethical implications of AI, the contribution considers it a turning point in the relationship between technological innovation and democratic institutions. The analysis focuses on how the integration of artificial intelligence systems into governmental structures redefines key concepts such as efficiency, transparency, accountability, and the legitimacy of decision-making power, raising fundamental questions about political representation in the algorithmic era. The reflection highlights several critical issues, including the tension between promises of administrative rationalization and the risk of technocracy, the potential shift of decision-making power toward forms of algorithmic governance, and the implications in terms of control, opacity, and manipulation of political processes. Looking ahead, the contribution offers a critical perspective on the use of AI within democratic institutions, emphasizing the need for ethical, regulatory, and interpretative frameworks capable of balancing technological innovation with the safeguarding of democratic principles. In this sense, the Albanian case is interpreted not as an isolated anomaly, but as a laboratory anticipating the transformations that may shape democratic governance in the near future.