Key facts
- Google is acquiring internal business data from Spirit Airlines for $10 million.
- The data includes internal communications, spreadsheets, booking and frequent-flyer records, and employee information.
- The information will be stripped of details that could identify individuals before Google receives it.
- AI data company Mercor made a competing bid of $7.5 million for the data.
- Spirit Airlines is selling assets in bankruptcy after ceasing operations in May.
- The sale requires approval from a U.S. bankruptcy judge.
Google has agreed to purchase internal business data from the bankrupt Spirit Airlines for $10 million, intending to use the information for product development and training its artificial intelligence models. The deal, which requires approval from a U.S. bankruptcy judge, includes a wide range of company records such as internal communications, emails, spreadsheets, booking and frequent-flyer information, and employee HR data. Before acquisition, the data will be de-identified to remove any personally identifiable information.
Spirit Airlines, which ceased operations in May, is selling its assets through bankruptcy proceedings. The airline also received a competing bid of $7.5 million for its data from AI data company Mercor. This transaction highlights the growing trend of AI companies seeking vast datasets to improve their models, following similar deals involving companies like Reddit and Wikimedia Foundation.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Sean Lane is scheduled to review the proposed sale. The acquisition encompasses data spanning nearly four decades, including millions of emails and payroll records, as well as proprietary systems like pricing algorithms and booking data.