Albania taps AI to accelerate growth and nurture homegrown tech firms

A World Bank Group report on AI’s impact in developing economies says that rapid adoption of artificial intelligence could enable these countries to achieve in a decade what would normally take a century, provided governments act swiftly to close gaps in energy, digital connectivity, skills and institutional quality. The report notes that automation risk is lower in low‑ and middle‑income economies (4.5% of jobs) than in high‑income ones (14.2%), while productivity gains could reach 16.2% in developing nations, close to the 18.7% expected in richer economies. Indermit Gill, Vice‑President for Development and Chief Economist at the World Bank, said, “Artificial intelligence has given developing economies a vital opportunity and they must seize it.”

In Albania, 20‑year‑old Firdeus Kasaj has founded UnyoCorp, an AI‑focused software company that develops mobile, web and video‑game applications. Kasaj highlighted the shortage of skilled workers in the gaming sector and said his firm trains young talent for three to four months before integrating them into projects. He added, “We have received offers to move abroad to places like Dubai, Switzerland or New York, but we chose to stay in Albania and work globally from here.” The startup aims to boost local employment and showcase Albania’s capacity to deliver AI‑driven services worldwide.