UK appoints Kanishka Narayan as first AI minister [Courtesy]
The UK government has elevated artificial intelligence to cabinet-level oversight after appointing Kanishka Narayan MP as Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence.
The move sees Narayan, who previously served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for AI and Online Safety in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, take on a joint portfolio spanning the Cabinet Office and the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade.
He was appointed on July 20, 2026, by Prime Minister Andy Burnham as part of a broader administrative reorganisation aimed at accelerating technological transformation across public services and commercial sectors.
Before his cabinet elevation, Narayan built an extensive background spanning public service, venture capital, and technology policy.
