Meet Kanishka Narayan, Bihar-Born MP Becomes UK’s First AI Minister in Andy Burnham’s Cabinet

The UK has appointed Bihar-born Labour MP Kanishka Narayan as its first dedicated minister for artificial intelligence in a major step to put AI at the centre of its economic and technology plans. In a wider reshuffle of the government, Britain’s new Prime Minister Andy Burnham has given Narayan, who was born in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, and moved to Cardiff, Wales, at 12, the newly created Cabinet-level role.

The UK Prime Minister’s Office said that Narayan will sit jointly in the Cabinet Office and Department for Business and Trade and will attend Cabinet meetings, reflecting the increasing prominence of AI in government decision-making.

A Note of Congratulations from Google’s Head of AI

Nobel laureate and Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis welcomed the appointment shortly after the announcement. “Congratulations @KanishkaNarayan on your new role as UK’s AI Minister in the Cabinet, great news for the UK AI ecosystem!.”

Later, Narayan revealed that the first phone call he made after assuming charge was to Hassabis. He said the talks were about “turning British advantage into British jobs” in a post on X but gave no further details.

Both Narayan and Hassabis have spoken frequently of their modest family backgrounds. Narayan has already written about his parents’ immigrant experience of working at minimum wage and night-shift jobs after they came to Britain.

Kanishka Narayan’s Journey From Bihar to the British Cabinet

He was born in Bihar and moved to Cardiff, Wales, from his family after living part of his life in Delhi, as reports indicated, according to Politico. He received his education at Cathays High School and then went on to attend the famous Eton College using a scholarship. His career after graduating with Philosophy, Politics and Economics degrees from Oxford University led him to pursue a Master’s in Business Administration from Stanford University, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Before he entered politics, Narayan was employed in both public and private sectors. He was also a cofounder of a non-profit initiative called Attain Wales for uplifting the educational and social outcomes of children in South Wales.

His Political Rise

Narayanan joined politics due to his family’s immigrant experiences in Britain, with aspirations to improve all public services. Having joined the British Labour Party, Narayan won the elections for the UK general election held in July 2024, becoming the first politician from an ethnic minority group to represent any constituencies in Wales in parliament. Later, he assumed various duties, including Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Government Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs for nearly 5 months before joining as minister.

Now, he has been selected as Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Online Safety in the Keir Starmer government.

Narayan is now promoted to a dedicated AI portfolio with cabinet involvement, with Andy Burnham taking up the role of prime minister this week.

Why The AI Ministry is Important

Narayan’s promotion highlights the increasing emphasis Britain is placing on artificial intelligence as a driver of economic growth and global competitiveness.

According to Bloomberg, the Burnham government has promoted AI to cabinet level in an effort to enhance the UK’s position in the global race for AI. Home to leading AI companies like Google DeepMind, Wayve and ElevenLabs, Britain also boasts a number of world-class research institutions.

But the country has also faced its challenges. Bloomberg has reported that some planned AI infrastructure projects, including one data centre backed by OpenAI, have been delayed or scrapped due to high energy costs and regulatory hurdles.

Narayan has previously rejected claims that Britain’s energy prices or regulatory environment are discouraging AI investment, insisting the UK remains an attractive location for technology firms.

His appointment also comes as several European countries debate “tech sovereignty” — reducing dependence on American AI firms while developing domestic AI capabilities. With the race for AI leadership heating up globally, Narayan, according to Bloomberg, will now be a key player in shaping Britain’s AI strategy.

Narayan’s appointment is a sign that the UK wants to put artificial intelligence at the centre of its long-term policy agenda, as AI becomes increasingly important for economic growth, investment and national competitiveness.

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