AI labs are buying data from dead startups to train their models
What happened
AI labs are buying defunct startups’ code and workplace archives through companies such as SimpleClosure and Sunset to train models and build environments where AI agents practice tasks. SimpleClosure’s Asset Hub has handled over 150 deals, while Google bought Spirit Airlines’ decades of data for $10 million this past August. The market raises questions about employee privacy, consent, and pricing, and no company has released tests comparing training results from real-world archives with alternatives.
Why it matters
The sales expose a gap between who generates workplace data and who receives its resale proceeds, with employees’ private information entering transactions that typically benefit creditors and investors.
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