Trump Mobile, the cellular service launched on Monday by President Donald Trump’s two eldest sons, will leverage artificial intelligence to track users and improve the offerings of the new “customer-first” provider.
According to the privacy policy page of Trump Mobile’s new website, AI will be used to “enhance the performance and functionality of the Trump Mobile Services.” This will be done through tracking usage patterns, including visited pages and searches to “predict your interests and preferences,” as well as IP addresses and location information.
It goes on to state that both usage and device data collected by the AI systems may be shared with third parties that “help us bring you the products and services we offer,” but that customers can access the data and opt out of certain uses, “including profiling activities for personalized content or advertising.”
Newsweek reached out to Trump Mobile via email for comment.
Why It Matters
The use of AI to monitor user activity has become increasingly commonplace among tech companies and mobile network operators, commonly employed in targeted advertising, personalization, customer service, and fraud prevention.
However, polls have revealed that Americans remain largely skeptical regarding the general benefits of AI, as well as the use of the technology for data collection and whether companies will employ these tools responsibly.
What To Know
The Trump Mobile website states that AI systems will collect data provided “directly or indirectly through your interactions with the Trump Mobile Services.” It adds that AI may also be used to make automated decisions, including “content curation and recommendations,” as well as conduct fraud detection by analyzing user behavior to “identify and flag unusual activity.”
AP Photo/Richard Drew
According to Monday’s announcement by the Trump Organization, the company owned by the president but currently managed by Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., the new “all American” cellular service will offer 5G services without the need for a contract or credit check. Subscribers to its flagship product, The 47 Plan, will have access to unlimited texts and data, free international calls to over 100 countries, as well as 24/7 roadside assistance and telehealth services for $47.45 per month.
The Trump Organization said that the mobile services will be offered through America’s “three major cellular carriers,” an apparent reference to AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, which together dominate the U.S. telecom market.
This announcement comes alongside the launch of the “T1 Phone,” a gold smartphone that the company said would be “proudly designed and built in the United States.” However, experts have already questioned the feasibility of manufacturing such a phone domestically and at the advertised price of $499.
Despite bearing the president’s name, Monday’s announcement clarified that the Trump Organization will not be directly involved in the production of the phone or Trump Mobile’s services, and that the Trump trademark has been transferred to T1 Mobile LLC under a limited license agreement.
What People Are Saying
Trump Mobile’s website states: “We are committed to using AI responsibly. To this end, we implement the following safeguards: Regular auditing of our AI Systems for accuracy, fairness, and effectiveness; Human oversight to monitor AI decision-making and intervene as necessary to address anomalies or biases; Compliance with privacy regulations, ensuring that data used by AI is processed lawfully, transparently, and securely.”
Donald Trump Jr., speaking at a launch event in New York’s Trump Tower, said: “We’ve partnered with some of the greatest people in the industry to make sure that real Americans can get true value from their mobile carriers. A big part of what we’ve done right now in the world has been focused on technology for people who have been underserved, whether that’s been in crypto or anything else. But one of the places where we felt there was lackluster performance was in the mobile industry.”
Eric Trump told Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo: “Trump mobile is going to revolutionize cell phones, mobile calling. We’re going to do it better, we’re going to do it safer. We’re going to have more functionality, more features. And the coolest thing about all these ventures is we’re doing it right here in the United States. You’re not calling up call centers in Bangladesh. You’re doing it right out of St. Louis, Missouri. You’re going to have phones made right here in America.”
What Happens Next
According to the company’s website, users can now switch to Trump Mobile Services and The 47 Plan using their current phone.
The “Made in the USA T1 Phone,” meanwhile, is available for pre-order with a $100 down payment. However, details on the launch date are conflicting: The Trump Organization states it will be released in August, while Trump Mobile says it will be available from September.
