Who is Kanishka Narayan? Bihar-born MP becomes Britain’s new AI minister
New Delhi: Bihar-born Kanishka Narayan has been appointed the new minister of artificial intelligence in the United Kingdom, which is a big milestone for two reasons – the technology agenda of the United Kingdom and the Indian diaspora. His elevation follows the same pattern as the increasing significance of AI in government policymaking as nations strive for leadership in technology in what is now his second Parliament.
Narayan said that countries have a “narrow window” to decide on how artificial intelligence will be developed rather than have it developed for them, in his post on X. His appointment comes as a result of Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s Cabinet shuffle, which integrated AI into a wider government framework and put Narayan at the heart of Britain’s AI strategy.
From Bihar to Britain’s AI leadership
Narayan’s journey from Bihar to one of Britain’s top technology leadership roles highlights the growing global importance of AI governance.
Narayan was born in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, in 1989 and left home for Delhi before his family relocated to Cardiff, Wales, at the age of 12. He has talked about his parents moving to the UK and working on minimum wage and night shifts. His experiences influenced his attitudes to opportunity and social mobility, he says.
He went on to attend Eton College on a scholarship, graduated from the University of Oxford and then received an MBA from Stanford University.
Finance, startups and public service
Before entering politics, Narayan worked at investment bank Lazard, venture capital firms Atomico and Clocktower Ventures, and later served as an economist and adviser in the UK government. The UK government says that he has helped develop the country’s long-term environmental policies.
Why his appointment matters
In 2024, Narayan was elected as a Labour MP for Vale of Glamorgan and swiftly progressed through the ranks. He has been a champion for investing in AI infrastructure, semiconductors, and cloud computing and represented the UK in the AI Security Institute. He has also been advocating for more co-operation in emerging technologies between the UK and India, including his visit to the India AI Impact Summit earlier this year.
His appointment indicates a new era in which AI is not just a technological concern but a strategic investment at the heart of the government, with Britain placing a significant bet on innovation to stay competitive internationally.