Google buys Spirit Airlines data for AI

Alphabet Inc., a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., won a bankruptcy auction to acquire Spirit Airlines' internal business data for $10 million. The dataset includes approximately 100 million emails, 500 million Microsoft Teams chats, 17 million OneDrive files, 20.5 million SharePoint items, over 30 million recorded customer service calls, software code, pricing databases, maintenance histories, and audit records. The data will be de-identified by a third party before transfer, excluding personally identifiable information such as passenger profiles, loyalty program records, and credit card information. The sale is part of Spirit Airlines' Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, with a hearing scheduled for August 19, 2026, before Judge Sean Lane in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. Alphabet Inc. outbid Mercor, which offered $7.5 million. Alphabet Inc. stated the data will be used to improve its products and AI models. The transaction highlights the growing value of corporate data for AI training.