Albanian actor sues government over unauthorized use of likeness in AI minister
Albanian actor Anila Bisha filed a legal petition demanding the government stop using her face and voice for an AI "minister" named Diella that Prime Minister Edi Rama introduced in September 2025. Bisha says she had approved use of her image only for an online government services portal, not for an AI minister, and claims the government never informed her of the expanded use or that the National Agency for Information Society filed a patent on her likeness.
What happened
Prime Minister Edi Rama announced in September 2025 that Albania had created an AI system named Diella to serve as a government minister overseeing public procurement tenders.
The AI system used the face and voice of well-known Albanian actor Anila Bisha without her approval for the expanded role. Bisha had signed a contract authorizing use of her image only for a virtual assistant on the e-Albania online government services portal through the end of 2025.
In February 2026, Bisha filed a petition with Albania's administrative court demanding the government immediately stop using her voice and image for Diella, citing violation of her personal data and unauthorized use of her likeness.
Reported impact
Bisha stated that the National Agency for Information Society filed a patent on her image and voice without informing her, which she said affected her ability to work.
The actor described the use of her identity as an exploitation of her personal data and said she felt her image was being used as a political statement.
Governance controls
Bisha had originally signed a contract authorizing use of her image for the e-Albania platform, but said she was never informed that the government planned to use her likeness for the AI minister role.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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