More than 120 U.S. lawmakers have raised concerns about Alphabet's Google unit seeking to acquire internal data from defunct Spirit Airlines to train its AI models. The proposed deal is valued at $10 million and is part of Spirit's asset liquidation after it halted operations in May.
The records include 100 million emails and 500 million Microsoft Teams messages. The lawmakers, led by Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Steven Horsford, warn the deal could affect worker privacy.
Google says it intends to exclude or de-identify personal data with help from an independent third party before any transfer. A U.S. bankruptcy judge is scheduled to hear the case on October 14. A privacy ombudsman has recommended approval if passenger information is excluded.