Google advances in bid to acquire spirit airlines' data for AI training

A court-appointed consumer privacy official recommended the approval of Google's bid to acquire Spirit Airlines' data, citing measures taken to protect passenger privacy. Lucy Thomson, the consumer privacy ombudsman, stated that both companies had implemented significant steps to safeguard consumer data. The sale involves revised data scope, exclusion of passenger databases, and de-identification by Tonic.ai. The filing noted that these changes would mitigate risks to 97 million consumers. Spirit Airlines shut down in May, and Google won an auction for its data with a $10 million bid. The sale still requires court approval. Unions representing former Spirit employees objected, citing privacy and safety concerns. A hearing on the sale is scheduled for October 14. The ombudsman's review did not address employee privacy risks, and additional scrutiny may be needed if other bids, including those from Mercor and Micro1, are considered. The ombudsman requested more information about a supply chain security incident at Mercor earlier this year.