Google Uses Former Spirit Airlines Workers’ Data to Train AI
Google acquires workplace data from bankrupt Spirit Airlines to improve AI models, sparking privacy concerns.
2 min read
Google has acquired workplace data from the defunct Spirit Airlines to train its artificial intelligence models, according to a recent announcement. The data includes millions of Microsoft Teams chats, emails, and lines of code from former employees, which will be used to enhance AI systems like its latest DeepMind project, AlphaProof Code.
Union Approval and Privacy Protections
The deal was approved by aviation unions, including the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), which cleared the way for the use of the data. The AFA-CWA emphasized that worker data privacy has become a significant concern in the age of AI, and that they will continue to push for contractual protections and legal safeguards for employees.
Google has committed to not accessing personal health data, such as drug and alcohol testing records, disability information, or payroll details. The company agreed to a rigorous de-identification process to ensure that no personal data is used in training its AI models.
Acquisition and Legal Approval
Google acquired the data as part of a $10 million purchase of Spirit Airlines’ assets during a bankruptcy auction in August. The deal includes 500 million Microsoft Teams chats, 100 million emails from 80,000 accounts, and about 30 million lines of code from 516 software projects. However, the sale still requires approval from a bankruptcy judge.
Google stated that it will work with an independent third party to ensure that no personal data is collected or used from the dataset. The company emphasized that it will not receive any personal information from the data it acquired.
Political and Legal Concerns
Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren and 120 members of Congress raised concerns about the purchase, calling it “uncharted territory.” They highlighted that the data was collected in the context of an employment relationship and could contain highly sensitive information about workers. They noted that workers have fewer privacy protections than consumers, which has sparked debate over the ethical implications of using such data for AI training.
While the AFA-CWA and Warren’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment, the issue has sparked broader discussions about the role of big tech companies in handling employee data and the need for stronger legal protections.
Source: Daily Caller
