India-Born Kanishka Narayan Becomes UK’s First AI Minister, Wins Praise from Google AI Chief Demis Hassabis
The United Kingdom has appointed India-born MP Kanishka Narayan as its first-ever AI Minister, marking a significant step in the country’s efforts to strengthen its artificial intelligence sector. Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
Born in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, Narayan moved to Cardiff, Wales, with his family at the age of 12. His appointment has been widely welcomed, including by Google DeepMind CEO and Nobel Prize winner Demis Hassabis, one of the world’s leading figures in artificial intelligence.
Sharing his congratulations on X, Hassabis wrote, “Congratulations @KanishkaNarayan on your new role as UK’s AI Minister in the Cabinet, great news for the UK AI ecosystem!” Hassabis, who is also the son of immigrant parents, praised the appointment as a positive development for Britain’s AI industry.
Narayan later revealed that the first phone call he made after becoming AI Minister was to Hassabis. He said their discussion focused on turning Britain’s strengths in artificial intelligence into new jobs and economic opportunities for the country, although he did not share further details.
Both Narayan and Hassabis come from modest backgrounds. Narayan has often spoken about the sacrifices made by his immigrant parents, who worked minimum-wage and night-shift jobs after moving to the UK.
Despite these challenges, Narayan excelled academically. He earned a scholarship to study at Eton College, one of Britain’s most prestigious schools, after attending a state school in Cardiff. He later studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Oxford before completing an MBA at Stanford University in the United States.
Inspired by his family’s experiences and a desire to improve public services, Narayan joined the Labour Party. His political journey gained momentum in 2022 when he was selected as Labour’s candidate for Vale of Glamorgan in Wales. Although he narrowly lost that election, he remained active within the party.
After Labour returned to government, Prime Minister Keir Starmer appointed Narayan as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. This week, he was promoted to the newly created post of AI Minister, becoming the first person to hold the role.
His appointment is seen as an important milestone as the UK seeks to expand its leadership in artificial intelligence, encourage innovation, and create more technology-driven jobs.
