Key facts
- Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj, currently in prison, used an AI-generated avatar to deliver a speech.
- The AI likeness pledged free school lunches for the capital's children.
- Veliaj is imprisoned in Durres amid investigations into corruption and financial crimes.
- The video was posted on his official Instagram profile and labeled as AI-generated.
- Veliaj stated he would continue to work from his cell, referring to his situation as 'hostage'.
Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj, who is currently incarcerated on charges of corruption and financial crimes, has utilized an AI-generated avatar to deliver a public address. The video, posted on his official Instagram account and clearly marked as AI-generated, features a digital representation of Veliaj speaking from what appears to be a prison cell. In the speech, the avatar reiterates his commitment to providing free school lunches for the city's children, stating, "I will keep this promise even from this cell where they have locked me up." Veliaj has been in prison since February 2025 and denies any wrongdoing. He referred to his imprisonment as a "hostage situation" and expressed his intention to continue working. Following his arrest, snap elections for Tirana were scheduled but later canceled. Veliaj remains the official mayor until municipal elections in the first half of 2027, with duties delegated to deputy mayors. This incident follows similar instances of politicians using AI for communication while facing legal or political challenges, including Pakistan's Imran Khan and Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro. Albania itself has previously experimented with AI in governance, with Prime Minister Edi Rama appointing an AI virtual minister named Diella.