The Trump administration’s latest tariff policy has raised eyebrows—not just for its economic impact, but for its uncanny resemblance to something ChatGPT might spit out after a late-night brainstorming session.
This week, the White House rolled out sweeping new tariffs, slapping a 10% baseline rate on all imports, with higher rates for countries running large trade surpluses against the U.S. The goal? To chip away at America’s $1.2 trillion trade deficit. But the formula behind the numbers has critics doing a double-take—because it looks suspiciously like something ChatGPT would suggest if asked: “Hey, AI, how do we tariff the world?”
See also: No One Is Safe: Trump Just Slapped Tariffs on Penguins, Coral Atolls, and Empty Islands
The Formula: Simple Math or AI-Generated Policy?
The White House’s method was straightforward:
- Take the U.S. trade deficit with a country.
- Divide it by the value of U.S. imports from that country.
- Apply that percentage as the tariff—unless 10% is higher, in which case, default to that.
Simple? Sure. But as critics quickly noticed, ask ChatGPT for a “quick and easy” tariff policy, and you might get the same answer.
a political commentator, tested the theory on X (formerly Twitter), posting screenshots of ChatGPT responding to the prompt:
“What would be an easy way to calculate tariffs to balance the U.S. trade deficit?”
The AI’s suggestion? Almost identical to the White House’s formula.
“I think they asked ChatGPT to calculate the tariffs, which is why they make absolutely no sense,” Bonnell joked.
I think they asked ChatGPT to calculate the tariffs from other countries, which is why the tariffs make absolutely no fucking sense.
They’re simply dividing the trade deficit we have with a country with our imports from that country, or using 10%, whichever is greater. https://t.co/Rc45V7qxHl pic.twitter.com/SUu2syKbHS
— Destiny | Steven Bonnell II (@TheOmniLiberal) April 2, 2025
So, Did Trump Used ChatGPT or Is It Just a Coincidence?
The White House hasn’t commented on whether AI played a role in crafting the policy. But the parallels have sparked a mix of amusement and concern.
- Pros of the AI Approach? It’s fast, avoids bureaucratic bloat, and doesn’t require a PhD in economics.
- Cons? It might lack nuance—like realizing Canada might not appreciate being tariffed like an eBay seller with bad feedback.
See also: World Leaders React to Trump’s Tariffs — See What They Said
Experts Weigh In: “This Is… Not How Trade Works”
Economists were quick to point out that trade deficits aren’t inherently bad—they often reflect strong consumer demand and investment flows. Slapping tariffs based on a basic division formula could backfire, triggering retaliatory measures and supply chain chaos.
“If the White House really used ChatGPT for this, they forgot to ask the follow-up: ‘What’s the downside?’” quipped one trade analyst, who requested anonymity to avoid “being tariffed personally.”*
Tariff Talk: The Final Upload
Whether the administration’s tariff blueprint was influenced by artificial intelligence or not remains a mystery. However, this episode underscores the growing intersection of technology and policy-making. As AI continues to evolve, perhaps future trade negotiations will feature ChatGPT as a key advisor—though hopefully with a human double-checking its math.
