Palantir to sue London mayor for blocking £50M Met contract
What's the story
Palantir, a US spy-tech company, is planning to sue London Mayor Sadiq Khan. The lawsuit comes after Khan blocked a lucrative £50 million contract between the firm and the Metropolitan Police (Met). The deal was for using Palantir's software in criminal investigations but was halted due to concerns over procurement rules.
Legal proceedings
What did Khan's office say?
Palantir's lawyers have informed the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) of their intention to challenge Khan's decision in court. A spokesperson from Khan's office said that the Met did not present its procurement strategy as required and only fully engaged with one potential supplier: Palantir. The spokesperson added that this was not a politically motivated decision but based on value for money considerations for Londoners.
Contract details
Proposed contract to automate intelligence analysis in criminal investigations
The proposed contract would have seen the Met use Palantir's software to automate intelligence analysis in criminal investigations. The technology was expected to streamline parts of the analysis process and assist police work. However, concerns over procurement rules led to Khan intervening and blocking the deal in late May, sparking a row between the UK's largest police force and the mayor's office.
Growing concerns
Review of NHS contract with Palantir underway
The Met's potential deal with Palantir is one of several contracts between the US software company and UK government bodies now facing criticism. This comes amid a growing distaste for the company due to its public ideological statements. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has confirmed that the government is conducting a full review of the NHS contract with Palantir, worth £330 million, and considering whether to extend/activate a break clause allowing them to stop using its services in early 2027.
Controversial remarks
Karp's controversial comments on AI
Palantir's CEO Alex Karp has also made headlines recently for his controversial comments on AI. During a live interview with TBPN at Palantir's AIPCon 10 event, Karp compared excessive use of AI to "porn addiction." He was referring to the trend of "tokenmaxxing," where success in AI is measured by token usage and compute consumption instead of actual business impact.