Palantir says UK police contract wrongly blocked over perceived ‘values’

U.S. tech firm Palantir is challenging a decision to block a contract with London police, arguing on Thursday that London mayor Sadiq Khan’s office wrongly took into account the company’s “values and ethics”.

Palantir had agreed a two-year, £50 million ($67.06 million) contract with the Metropolitan Police to use its artificial intelligence systems to automate ‌certain tasks ⁠and for ⁠evidence analysis in criminal investigations.

But the mayor’s office refused to approve the deal, telling ​the Met Police in May that the force had failed to have an open ​competition for the contract.