Albania has appointed an AI bot as its new anti-corruption minister as artificial intelligence increasingly infiltrates the world of politics. Known as Diella (“sun” in Albanian), the new AI minister is expected to be “impervious to bribes, threats or attempts to curry favor,” said Reuters. 

‘Sticking point’ 
Diella was originally launched earlier this year as an AI-powered virtual assistant to help citizens and businesses obtain state documents. Now she’s the “first cabinet member who isn’t physically present but is virtually created by AI,” said Prime Minister Edi Rama as he unveiled his new cabinet. She will help make Albania a country where government contracts are “100% free of corruption.”

The awarding of government contracts is a particularly sensitive issue in Albania. It has “long been a source of corruption scandals,” said Reuters. Albania wants to join the EU by 2030, and corruption is a “sticking point,” so the government wants to be seen to be cracking down on it, said Euronews. 

But not everyone is convinced Diella is the answer. “Even Diella will be corrupted” in Albania, said one Facebook user. “Stealing will continue, and Diella will be blamed,” said another. 

‘Castle in the air’ 
The use of AI in politics is becoming increasingly mainstream. A youth movement in Nepal this week used ChatGPT to suggest potential candidates for interim prime minister, then asked it to “debate the pros and cons” of each, said The Times. But to change laws, “you need research, legitimacy and a real mandate,” a Nepali said on a forum. Choosing a candidate with AI is “like building a castle in the air.”

Less than a year into his tenure atop the nation’s premier federal law enforcement agency, FBI Director Kash Patel finds himself once again in a crouch. This time, it’s following the shooting death of far-right provocateur and activist Charlie Kirk last week. Despite public support from President Donald Trump, Patel’s place in this administration is in as precarious a place as it has ever been amid bipartisan calls for answers.

What did the commentators say?
Patel’s “false assurance” in the immediate aftermath of the shooting that a “suspect” was in custody — an assertion allegedly made while he was dining at an exclusive New York City restaurant, only to be reversed shortly thereafter — was “more than a slip,” said The Associated Press. Rather, the incident draws attention to the “high-stakes uncertainty surrounding Patel’s leadership” when both the FBI's credibility and his own are “under extraordinary pressure.”

Long the purview of Trump critics at large, concerns about Patel’s fitness to lead the FBI have now begun “seeping into conservative circles that Patel is a fixture of,” said CNN. It’s time for conservatives to “assess whether Kash Patel is the right man” to lead the FBI, prominent right-wing activist Christopher Rufo said on X. 

What next?
Despite the White House’s public support for its FBI director, there are indications that Patel and his inner circle may be beginning to feel the heat. One day after “hastily suggesting” and then walking back initial claims that they had the Kirk shooter in custody, Patel and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino hosted a 200-person call among FBI officials, making clear that they were “under intense pressure to catch the killer,” The New York Times said. But for attendees of the “tense affair,” the “fierce urgency” with which Patel and Bongino vulgarly expressed themselves during the meeting hinted at “another motive,” said the Times: to “prove they were up to the task.”

For now, Patel’s tenure seems relatively secure, with the administration suggesting that any criticism of the director is mere partisanship. Those doubting Patel’s “resolve and dedication,” said White House Communications Director Steven Cheung to Semafor, are simply “using this extremely sad moment in a disgusting act of political gamesmanship.”

Crowds rally on Westminster Bridge during a nationalist “Unite the Kingdom” rally in London. Between 110,000 and 150,000 demonstrators joined the protest organized by far-right activist Tommy Robinson. Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged that Britain will not yield the national flag to extremists, saying it “will never be surrendered to violence.”
Christopher Furlong / Getty Images

Summer is gone as quickly as it arrived, but that doesn’t mean all the fun has to end. There are still plenty of big-name musicians you can catch on tour this year.

Cheap Trick
The American band has been a mainstay in rock ’n’ roll for over half a century, and unlike other groups of the period, it is consistently touring around the world. The latest tour coincides with its latest album, a complete collection of its work. This album “compiles the band’s work under Epic Records between 1977 and 1990,” said Cheap Trick’s website. (through December)

David Byrne
When it comes to music legends, David Byrne (pictured above) is a big name with or without his iconic band Talking Heads. He has had a significant solo career and continues with his “Who is the Sky?” tour. It features an “ambitious new show blending visual art, storytelling and music into one compelling live performance,” said Rolling Stone Australia. (through November)

John Legend
The “Get Lifted” tour celebrates Legend’s first-ever studio album. He plays in its entirety the album that “introduced me to the world, plus a few favorites from my career that *all of you* know and love,” Legend said on Instagram. (through December)