Who is Indian MP Kanishka Narayan? UK’s first AI minister appointed by new PM Andy Burnham | Today’s news
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Monday (local time) appointed Kanishka Narayan as minister for artificial intelligence (AI), making the position cabinet-level for the first time.
Narayan, who is a Labor politician from Wales, was appointed Minister for AI and Online Safety in September 2025 under Burnham’s predecessor, Keir Starmer. As a junior minister, he served under Liz Kendall, the technology secretary who was sacked by the new British prime minister along with several senior ministers who served under Starmer, Bloomberg reported.
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Kanishka Narayan serves as Minister for Artificial Intelligence and Online Safety, a cabinet-level position appointed by Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
Narayan’s appointment reflects the UK government’s growing focus on artificial intelligence and the need for a dedicated minister to oversee its strategy and development.
Narayan’s background as a Labor MP, along with his experience in economic policy and public service reform, has given him valuable insights for his role in overseeing AI policies.
With global competition in AI and the presence of major companies such as Google DeepMind in the UK, prioritizing investment in AI technology is essential for economic growth and technological advancement.
The UK faces challenges such as criticism of inconsistent technology policies, under-investment in computing infrastructure and delays in high-quality digital projects.
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Who is Kanishka Narayan?
According to his LinkedIn profile, Narayan is the Member of Parliament for the Vale of Glamorgan. His education includes a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Stanford University.
Between July 2024 and September 2025, he worked as a Parliamentary Private Secretary for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. As of July 2024, Narayan also served as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons. Last year, he was appointed Minister for AI and Online Safety within the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Technology.
His LinkedIn profile also mentions the range of volunteering experiences the British MP has accumulated over the years. From June 2012 to June 2015, Narayan co-founded Attain Wales, a non-profit social mobility and education program in South Wales.
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Between 2016 and 2021, he worked as an adviser on economic policy and public service reform.
In 2020, he founded a national campaign after the announcement of the COVID-19 lockdown called “Help Your High Street”. Between 2021 and 2023, he worked as an administrator of the Citizens Advice Bureau. At the same time, he served for two years on the advisory panel of Chatham House, a leading British foreign expert think-tank.
From 2020 to 2022, he was a visiting fellow at the Center for Cities, another UK think tank focused on the urban economy.
Britain’s AI strategy under scrutiny
Narayan’s appointment and promotion to the cabinet comes at a time when the country’s AI strategy is being closely watched beyond its borders. The report says the UK is home to a large number of venture capital investors and leading AI operators, including Google DeepMind and startups such as ElevenLabs and Wayve, along with highly skilled engineering talent.
But British leaders have been criticized for repeatedly changing the direction of technology policy and not investing enough in computer infrastructure. Several major digital infrastructure projects, including the proposed OpenAI data center, have been delayed or abandoned, in part due to increased energy costs in the country.
Burnham, who took office as Britain’s new prime minister on Monday, has so far revealed little about his plans for artificial intelligence and the wider technology sector. But now he and Narayan are expected to outline their position on the growing European debate on technological sovereignty. Leaders in France and Germany have advocated reducing the continent’s reliance on artificial intelligence models and software developed in Silicon Valley, amid concerns that the United States could limit foreign access to advanced technology.
