Google Agrees to Buy Spirit Airlines Data for $10 Million to Train AI Models

• Google has agreed to acquire a large enterprise dataset from bankrupt Spirit Airlines for $10 million.
• The dataset includes internal communications, spreadsheets, booking records, transactions and employee-related information.
• Court filings say personally identifiable information has been removed from the data.
• A bankruptcy judge is expected to consider the proposed sale at a hearing on Wednesday.

Google has agreed to purchase a major collection of data from Spirit Airlines for $10 million, with the technology giant planning to use the information to help improve its products and artificial intelligence models.

Spirit Airlines halted operations in May and has since been selling its remaining assets as part of bankruptcy proceedings. While much of the process involves aircraft, equipment and real estate, the airline’s extensive collection of business data has also emerged as a valuable asset.

The proposed sale, disclosed late Monday, covers a broad range of Spirit’s records, including emails and other internal communications, spreadsheets, transactions involving customers, booking information, frequent flyer records and human resources data related to employees.

According to the bankruptcy court filing, the information has been stripped of details that could be used to identify individuals. Google has also confirmed that it will not receive personal information as part of the transaction.

A Google spokesperson said the company had acquired part of Spirit Airlines’ enterprise dataset because the information could help improve its products and AI models.

The deal highlights the growing value of large corporate datasets as technology companies continue to develop and train increasingly sophisticated artificial intelligence systems. Airlines themselves are also expanding their use of AI, particularly for fare-setting, scheduling and operational efficiency.

Google was not the only technology company interested in Spirit’s data. AI company Mercor.io submitted the second-highest bid at $7.5 million, below Google’s $10 million offer.

The proposed transaction still requires approval from the bankruptcy court. Judge Sean Lane is expected to consider the data sale during a hearing scheduled for Wednesday.

The sale is particularly unusual because airline bankruptcies typically end with another carrier acquiring most or all of the struggling airline, including its operational data. That information can then be incorporated into the acquiring airline’s existing systems.

Spirit’s collapse followed a different path. Rather than being taken over and integrated into another airline, the discount carrier was forced to halt operations completely and sell its assets separately through bankruptcy proceedings.

Spirit became the first significant US airline in roughly 25 years to cease operations entirely instead of being acquired by another carrier, making the separate sale of its corporate data an uncommon feature of the bankruptcy process.