As protests and political debate continue to dominate public discussion in Albania, a new initiative aims to listen directly to citizens to understand not only what concerns them, but also why.
Acromax Media presents Akila, an independent journalist with artificial intelligence, who will conduct individual conversations with citizens from all over Albania with the aim of identifying the root causes of the problems, dissatisfactions and challenges they experience every day.
Through WhatsApp, any citizen can write to Akila and have a private, one-on-one conversation, in Albanian or dozens of other languages.
Unlike a traditional survey, Akila is not limited to pre-determined questions. It listens, asks clarifying questions, and tries to understand the factors behind citizens' concerns.
"We often hear about the symptoms, but not the causes," says Aldor Nini, the creator of Akila.
“ Our goal is not to convince anyone nor to promote a political agenda. We want to understand what is really happening in the lives of citizens and what are the reasons behind their dissatisfaction, concerns or expectations .”
An impartial journalist for a polarized debate:
Akila is designed to be strictly impartial. It does not take political sides, nor does it support or oppose any party or public figure. It listens and documents with equal respect to every citizen, regardless of their political beliefs.
At a time when public debates are often dominated by the strongest voices, the project aims to create a space where every citizen has the opportunity to express themselves and be heard.
A million conversations to understand Albania
The initiative aims to reach up to one million Albanian citizens at home and abroad. Through the analysis of thousands of individual conversations, Akila will identify the most frequently repeated themes, the main concerns of citizens and the connections between the problems they report.
The goal is not simply to collect opinions. The aim is to understand the underlying causes behind the phenomena that affect the daily lives of Albanians, from the economy and employment to public administration, education, health and trust in institutions.
How does it work?
The process is simple. The citizen writes to Aqila on WhatsApp and starts a private conversation. Participation can be by name or anonymous, according to each person's wishes.
After collecting and analyzing a large number of conversations, Akila will prepare anonymized reports on the main themes, concerns, and causes emerging from the conversations with citizens. These reports will be published openly to the public, media, researchers, civil society organizations, and national and international institutions.
Privacy and trust at the center:
Acromax Media emphasizes that protecting privacy is one of the fundamental principles of the project. Conversations are private, participation can be anonymous, and the identity of citizens is protected.
“For people to speak openly, they need to feel safe,” says Aldor Nini. “Trust is the first condition for understanding the truth.”
From the United Nations to the journalism of the future:
Akila was presented earlier this year at a United Nations conference as an example of using artificial intelligence in the service of journalism and civic engagement. The project aims to show that artificial intelligence can be used not only to disseminate information, but also to listen, analyze and better understand society.