Trump’s Tariff Plan: AI-Generated or Just Incompetent?
The Trump administration’s newly announced tariff plan is under scrutiny, with online commentators and experts alleging the use of ChatGPT to determine tariff percentages. The proposed tariffs, criticized as nonsensical, appear to be calculated using a simple formula—the greater of 10% or the country’s trade deficit divided by U.S. imports from that country—mirroring a response from ChatGPT to a similar prompt. This methodology, as highlighted by several influencers, is considered flawed and potentially responsible for significant market declines, including a 4%+ drop in the S&P 500 and a 5%+ drop in the Nasdaq. The accusations raise serious concerns about the use of AI in formulating critical economic policy.
John Q. Hosedrinker