Indian-origin Kanishka Narayan appointed UK's first cabinet minister for AI

The United Kingdom has ushered in a new era in the artificial intelligence sector with the appointment of Indian-origin Labour Party MP Kanishka Narayan as the country's first full cabinet minister for AI and Digital Policy.

New Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced his cabinet, highlighting AI and digital policy as key government priorities on Monday. As part of this approach, the role—previously held at a junior ministerial level—has been elevated to full cabinet rank.

Kanishka Narayan had been serving as the junior minister for AI and Online Safety under former Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government since September 2025. He has been retained in the new administration and entrusted with expanded responsibilities.

Elected as an MP from the Vale of Glamorgan constituency in Wales during the 2024 elections, Narayan holds the distinction of becoming the first ethnic minority representative elected to Parliament from Wales.

Born in India's Bihar state, Narayan moved to the UK with his family during childhood. Raised in Cardiff, the politician earned a degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) from Oxford University and completed his MBA at Stanford University in the United States.

Both before and after entering politics, he was active in public policy, economic reform, and the non-profit sector. In 2012, he established a non-profit initiative called Attain Wales to support education and social mobility for young people in South Wales. Additionally, he has worked across various roles focusing on economic reform, public service enhancement, small business support, and research institutions.

As part of the Burnham government's administrative restructuring, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has been merged with the Department for Business and Trade. Jonathan Reynolds has been given charge of this new ministry. Simultaneously, digital transformation and online safety have been integrated under the purview of the Ministry of Culture.

According to analysts, the Burnham administration elevated the AI ministerial portfolio to cabinet level for the first time to bolster the UK's positioning in global AI technology competition.

Currently, several leading AI companies and startups, including Google DeepMind, operate in the UK. However, the previous government faced criticism over high electricity costs, complexities surrounding data center construction, and ambiguities in technology policy. The new government's move is viewed as a strategy to address those challenges.