Kanishka Narayan will join the cabinet as the new minister for AI as the administration scraps the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
The administration announced that Kanishka Narayan will be appointed to the cabinet as the minister for AI, following the decision to abolish the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). While the dedicated technology secretary role has been removed, the administration aims to maintain momentum in the sector by elevating Narayan to the top table of government. The move has drawn mixed reactions from industry experts and officials. Some critics argue that scrapping the department at such a critical moment for economic growth may waste valuable time and energy. However, supporters note that Narayan possesses deep knowledge of the startup ecosystem, which may help offset the loss of a dedicated department. The administration plans to distribute DSIT's responsibilities across other departments, with much of the science and technology policy potentially moving to a more powerful business department. Despite the reorganization, the administration remains committed to leveraging AI as a primary driver for national security and public service transformation.