As global discussions intensify around Trump’s tariffs—levies impacting trade worldwide and driving up costs for consumers—one question arises: Did the Trump administration employ artificial intelligence to determine these tariffs?
This scenario would be unprecedented. The “Reciprocal Tariffs” document, still evolving, could become a pivotal piece of economic policymaking. However, early indicators suggest potential inaccuracies in its calculations.
Comedic commentary on potential AI involvement in tariff calculations
Examining the specifics, these tariffs are not truly reciprocal—despite claims by the Trump administration. The methodology appears to be a basic formula that calculates the U.S. trade deficit with a country, divides it by that country’s total imports to the U.S., and then divides the result by two. Notably, this formula omits existing tariffs that other nations may impose on U.S. imports, which raises further questions about the accuracy of the calculations.
Furthermore, the list of countries and regions considered in these tariffs includes territories with no populations, leading to confusion and humor online.
Tech artist Gordon Chapman revealed that the tariff classifications seem to align with internet top-level domains instead of actual countries, hinting at a possible automated generation of the data. Chapman later suggested that the tariffs might indeed be based on this unconventional source.
Who calculated these tariffs?
The lingering question is the extent of human oversight in the tariff calculation process, especially if it only involves applying a straightforward formula to a misleading list of territories.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick asserted that economists from the United States Trade Representative had dedicated years to this work. However, some experts argue that the tariffs lack a clear methodology, producing what they describe as “nonsense numbers.”
Interestingly, a basic inquiry into tariff calculations from an AI model yields results similar to those used by the White House. This raises eyebrows about the adequacy of the administration’s approach.
The Future of the Tariffs
The initial tariff figures may serve as a groundwork for future negotiations. Eric Trump reinforced this notion, asserting that it is crucial for countries to negotiate early to secure favorable outcomes. The implications suggest that the methodology behind these tariffs may be less significant, as changes could be imminent.
If these calculations were indeed generated hastily by an AI, it could signal a troubling trend in governance, highlighting past missteps like mismanagement of sensitive communications.
While definitive proof of AI usage in tariff calculations remains elusive, the signs raise questions about the administration’s reliance on automated tools for significant economic decisions. Observers remain concerned about what other critical tasks may be delegated to AI in future policymaking.
Topics
Artificial Intelligence
