The UK has struck a defense deal with US spy-tech biz Palantir, which the government says will unlock £1.5 billion ($2 billion) of investment in Britain.

The arrangement emerged during the fanfare of US president Donald Trump's state visit to the UK, and accompanies a string of announcements by American tech A-listers, with promises the government claimed would be worth £31 billion ($42 billion) for AI and tech infrastructure.

Palantir plans to make the UK its European HQ for defense. The move will create up to 350 new jobs, an official announcement stated.

The data analytics company, founded with cash from the CIA-backed investment fund In-Q-Tel, has attracted controversy by providing digital profiling tools for the CIA and US immigration agency ICE .

None of that was about to stop th

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