Who is Kanishka Narayan? Indian-origin MP named UK's first AI minister

Kanishka Narayan had previously served as Minister for AI and Online Safety since September 2025 under former Prime Minister Keir Starmer

Indian-origin Labour MP Kanishka Narayan has been appointed the United Kingdom (UK)'s first minister dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI), with the role elevated to attend the prime minister's cabinet for the first time.

 

The appointment was announced by newly elected British Prime Minister Andy Burnham as part of a wider Cabinet reshuffle that signals a renewed focus on AI and digital policy.

 

Alongside Narayan's elevation, Burnham appointed Jonathan Reynolds as Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. The government also merged the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) with the Department for Business and Trade, while expanding the Culture Department's responsibilities to include digital transformation and online safety, Bloomberg reported.

 

 

Narayan previously served as Minister for AI and Online Safety since September 2025 under former Prime Minister Keir Starmer. He worked as a junior minister in the technology department before being promoted to his new role.

 

Who is Kanishka Narayan?

 

Kanishka Narayan is the Labour MP for the Vale of Glamorgan in Wales and has represented the constituency in the House of Commons since July 2024.

 

According to his LinkedIn profile, he studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Oxford before earning an MBA from Stanford University.

 

Before entering government, Narayan served as Parliamentary Private Secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs between July 2024 and September 2025. In September 2025, he was appointed Minister for AI and Online Safety under the then Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

 

His career also includes work in public policy, economic reform and the non-profit sector.

 

In 2012, he co-founded Attain Wales, a programme that supports social mobility and educational opportunities for young people in South Wales. Between 2016 and 2021, he worked as an adviser on economic policy and public service reform.

 

Narayan also served as a trustee of a Citizens Advice bureau between 2021 and 2023. During this period, he was a member of the advisory panel at Chatham House, a leading UK foreign policy think tank. He was also a visiting associate at the Centre for Cities, an urban policy research organisation, from 2020 to 2022.

 

Why his appointment matters

 

Narayan's promotion comes as the UK seeks to strengthen its position in artificial intelligence amid growing global competition.

 

Britain is home to several leading AI companies, including Google DeepMind, as well as startups such as ElevenLabs and Wayve. The country also has a strong base of AI researchers and engineers.

 

At the same time, the government's technology strategy has faced criticism over policy changes and delays in major digital infrastructure projects. Some proposed AI investments, including plans for an OpenAI data centre, have reportedly stalled because of high energy costs.

 

(With inputs from Bloomberg)