Google Scoops Up Spirit Airlines Data for AI Fuel

Google has acquired the data of Spirit Airlines for $10 million as part of the bankrupt airline's asset sale. The dataset, which includes hundreds of millions of emails, phone calls, flight records, and customer data, is set to fuel AI models.

The data was anonymized to protect personal information, but this hasn't stopped concerns in Europe about strategic autonomy and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

According to new guidelines from the European Data Protection Board (EDPB), data can only be considered anonymous if individuals cannot be isolated, linked, or inferred from the dataset.

The deal is nearly finalized in the US but raises questions about the limits of GDPR and whether it's enough to protect Europe's strategic interests.