Google just got a boost in its bid to buy Spirit Airlines’ data for AI training
Google's bid for Spirit Airlines' data got a boost after a court-appointed official said the companies addressed consumer privacy concerns.
Google has secured a positive recommendation from a court-appointed consumer privacy ombudsman for its plan to acquire Spirit Airlines' old data for $10 million. The ombudsman, Lucy Thomson, reviewed the steps taken by both companies to protect passenger privacy and determined that the risks to consumers have been eliminated or significantly mitigated.
The data sale, which requires court approval, excludes passenger databases and involves the de-identification of any potentially sensitive information by a third party, Tonic.ai. Despite unions representing Spirit's flight attendants and pilots filing objections, arguing that the sale could compromise their privacy and aviation safety, the ombudsman's recommendation is a significant win for Google in its bid to buy the data.
The auction for the data took place after Spirit shut down in May, and Google has stated that personally identifying information will not be included in the sale. A hearing on the proposed sale is scheduled for October 14, and the court will ultimately decide whether to approve the transfer of the data.
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