AI Chatbots Caught Giving Trump Tariff Advice: The Tech Drama Unfolding

Photo by Pau Casals on Unsplash
Hold onto your tech hats, Bay Area friends, because the latest political tech drama is wilder than a Silicon Valley startup pitch. Former President Trump’s tariff strategy might have an unexpected source: AI chatbots. 🤖
In a bizarre twist that sounds like a rejected Black Mirror episode, social media sleuths suspect that Trump’s economic team might have been taking economic advice from our favorite AI overlords like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Grok. Talk about outsourcing policy to machines!
The AI Policy Consultants Nobody Asked For
Tech entrepreneurs and internet detectives have been sharing screenshots showing how these chatbots generate remarkably similar tariff calculation strategies to those proposed by the Trump administration. But here’s the kicker: even the AI seems skeptical about its own advice.
ChatGPT basically said, “This math ignores the complex dynamics of international trade,” while Gemini warned about “oversimplified approaches”. Claude went full sass mode, essentially telling Trump that trade deficits aren’t a simple black-and-white issue.
When AI Becomes Your Reluctant Economic Advisor
While it remains unconfirmed whether the Trump team actually consulted these digital oracles, the similarities are too juicy to ignore. The chatbots consistently suggested a simplistic approach to balancing trade deficits - an approach that sounds suspiciously like Trump’s “reciprocal tariffs” rhetoric.
The Bigger Picture
As Trump continues to push this tariff strategy with declining approval ratings, the AI’s cautionary outputs become even more ironic. The bots essentially warn that tariffs are a “blunt tool” that could lead to higher prices and diplomatic tension.
So, Bay Area tech enthusiasts, next time you’re worried about AI taking over the world, remember: sometimes these smart machines are more responsible than the humans trying to use them. 🌉✨
AUTHOR: cgp
SOURCE: Ars Technica