Google plans to pay $10 million for business data from Spirit Airlines, adding another example of major technology companies buying large data sets to improve artificial intelligence systems. According to CNN, the proposed deal covers internal communications and company records, including emails, spreadsheets, bookings, frequent-flyer information, and employee human resources data. Reuters separately reported that the package also includes Microsoft Teams messages and calendars, along with marketing, productivity, and operations records.
Google told CNN that it acquired part of an enterprise data set from Spirit Airlines because the material could help improve its products and AI models. The company said it will not receive personal information, and the data is expected to be stripped of details that could identify individuals before transfer.
The sale has not closed yet and still needs court approval. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Sean Lane is scheduled to review the transaction at a hearing on Wednesday. Spirit halted operations in May and has been selling remaining assets through bankruptcy. Reuters said AI data company Mercor also competed for the assets with a reported $7.5 million bid.
The agreement fits into a broader pattern. Google struck a reported $60 million-a-year deal with Reddit in February 2024, OpenAI reached its own Reddit agreement in May 2024, and the Wikimedia Foundation announced content access agreements in January with Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta, and others.
Google plans to pay $10 million for Spirit Airlines’ business data and use it to improve its products and AI models.
According to CNN, the deal covers internal communications and company records from Spirit. The report said identifying details will be removed before Google receives the data.
Emails, bookings, HR files and internal records are part of the package
CNN reported that the data includes emails, spreadsheets, bookings, frequent-flyer information, and employee human resources data. A Google spokesperson told CNN, 「We acquired part of an enterprise dataset from Spirit Airlines, which can be helpful in improving our products and AI models.」 The company also said it will not receive personal information through the purchase.
In a separate report, Reuters said the sale package also includes Microsoft Teams messages and calendars, as well as marketing, productivity, and operations records.
Sale still needs court approval
Spirit halted operations in May and has been selling its remaining assets through bankruptcy. The report noted that airline bankruptcies often end with another carrier buying the company, including its data, but Google has emerged here as a bidder for the data assets.
Google was not the only interested party. Reuters reported that AI data company Mercor submitted a $7.5 million bid.
The transaction still requires court approval. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Sean Lane is scheduled to consider the deal at a hearing Wednesday.
AI companies keep paying for training data
The proposed purchase lands as AI companies continue to pay for access to data used to train and refine their models. In February 2024, Reddit gave Google access to nearly two decades of user-generated content in a deal reportedly worth $60 million a year. In May 2024, OpenAI reached its own agreement to bring Reddit content into ChatGPT.
More recently, in January, the Wikimedia Foundation announced agreements with Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta, and other AI companies for large-scale access to Wikipedia content.
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