100 million emails, 500 million chats: Google’s bid for bankrupt Spirit Airlines’ data to train AI sets off privacy alarm

Google’s $10 million bid for bankrupt Spirit Airlines’ internal operations, including 100 million emails and 500 million Microsoft Teams messages, has sparked a privacy row involving more than 120 U.S. lawmakers who warn that sensitive employee information could be exposed in the race to train artificial intelligence (AI) models.

The proposed acquisition has attracted the attention of Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Steven Horsford, who are urging Google and Spirit to exclude employee records from the transaction as much as possible. The concerns extend beyond passenger information and extend to confidential workplace communications, payroll records and employment documents created by thousands of former airline employees.

Spirit’s operations ceased in May 2026 and its assets are being liquidated through bankruptcy proceedings. Google won an auction for the Spirit’s internal business data in August, but the proposed sale still requires approval from a U.S. bankruptcy court, with a hearing scheduled for October 14.

The information searched by Google would also include time cards, payroll and tax records, employment contracts and other workplace documents. These records can contain highly sensitive details, including medical information and requests for workplace accommodations, according to lawmakers.

The problem is that the employees provided this information because their job required it, not because they agreed to sell it to a technology company for AI development. Lawmakers have warned that commercializing workplace records for AI training raises questions about privacy and the adequacy of existing protections for increasingly sophisticated AI systems.

Google says personal data will be anonymized

Google said it was not seeking to purchase personal information from Spirit Airlines. A company spokesperson said Reuters this information would either be completely excluded from the transaction or anonymized by an independent third party before Google receives it. The company added that it was working with the court-appointed privacy ombudsman.

The privacy of passengers has already been examined separately during the bankruptcy proceedings. A court-appointed consumer privacy ombudsman recommended approval of the proposed sale after steps were taken to exclude passenger databases and reduce the risk of exposure of personal information associated with about 97 million customers.

These safeguards are important, but they do not address the distinct concerns regarding former employees. Ombudsman’s consumer privacy review failed to assess potential risks to employee privacy, says Business Insider.

Despite Google’s assurance of de-identification, privacy advocates and employee representatives have expressed concerns about the sufficiency of safeguards when large data sets contain linked records and detailed workplace histories.

Previous objections to the Spirit transaction included concerns that preserving connections between data sets could allow information about individuals or small groups to be reconstructed. These concerns are particularly relevant when records from emails, messaging platforms, and employment systems are combined.

Unions warn that data sales could affect workers across the economy

Union representatives have also criticized the proposed transaction, arguing that its implications extend beyond Spirit Airlines.

Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, said Reuters that the conditions attached to the sale could have significant consequences for workers throughout the economy.

These concerns are particularly sensitive in the aviation sector, where employee records may relate to training, operational procedures and safety reporting. Representatives for pilots and flight attendants question whether transferring such information to an AI developer could undermine workers’ confidence in the confidentiality of sensitive workplace disclosures.

These objections do not demonstrate that the sale would compromise aviation safety. However, they emphasize the importance of determining what information can be transferred, how it will be protected and whether restrictions apply.

For Google, the deal provides access to a vast collection of internal business information that could help improve its AI products and models.