tech
Palantir hits back at Sadiq Khan after £50m contract with Met police blocked
London mayor accused of ‘putting politics above public safety’ for rejecting deal to use AI in intelligence analysis
TL;DR
- London Mayor Sadiq Khan rejected a £50m contract for the Metropolitan police to use Palantir's AI technology for intelligence processing.
- Khan's office cited a "clear and serious breach" of procurement rules, while Palantir accused the mayor of "putting politics above public safety".
- Palantir's CEO argued that politicizing procurement would compromise public safety and questioned why his company was singled out when others also work with controversial entities.
- The decision has divided the Labour party, with some MPs supporting Khan's focus on company values and others, including ministers, expressing concern about the loss of Palantir's unique capabilities.
- Scotland Yard called the decision "disappointing," warning it could lead to cuts in officer numbers and affect the force's ability to keep London safe.