Met gets more time for AI pilot after blocked Palantir deal

The Metropolitan police have been granted a 12-month extension to an AI pilot while they run a new procurement process for a long-term supplier. The decision follows London mayor Sadiq Khan’s move to block a £50m deal between the force and Palantir over concerns that procurement rules had been breached and that only one supplier had been seriously considered.

The pilot has been used to support professional standards work by bringing together data already lawfully held by the Met to identify possible misconduct, welfare issues or cultural concerns. Assistant commissioner Rachel Williams said the capability would help strengthen standards, tackle poor culture and increase public confidence while procurement continues over the next 12 months.

Met commissioner Mark Rowley said the pilot with Palantir had helped surface patterns that previously would have gone unnoticed, allowing the force to identify risks earlier rather than relying only on complaints from colleagues or victims. He said the work had brought together data on around 45,000 people across the organisation.

The mayor’s office said the Met must run a new process open to a wide range of potential suppliers, while allowing the current capability to continue during that process. Palantir said its software had been used effectively to identify officer misconduct and welcomed the decision to let the work continue.