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AI imagines Americans ‘slaving away’ in Nike, Tesla, Apple factories amid Donald Trump’s tariff row

Social media users claim that Chinese individuals created AI videos depicting Americans working at Nike, Tesla, and Apple factories.

Updated on: Apr 11, 2025 02:43 PM IST
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The US-China trade war has intensified following President Donald Trump's imposition of a 145% tariff on Chinese imports and the Asian nation's response with 125% additional tariffs on US goods. Amid the tariff row, an AI video allegedly created by a Chinese social media user showing Americans ‘slaving away’ at Nike, Tesla, and Apple factories surfaced on the internet.

Snapshots from AI video showing Americans as labours. (Screengrab)
Snapshots from AI video showing Americans as labours. (Screengrab)

The video opens to show people wearing T-shirts with Nike logos and hats with American flag making shoes while eating chips and sodas. Throughout the AI video, similar scenes unfold that show people working in different factories. It ends with a shot that shows the “Make America Rich Again” slogan above worn-out boards of prominent American companies, showing a dystopian future.

Also Read: Racist campaign mocks Donald Trump's tariffs: AI memes of exhausted Americans at factories go viral

Take a look at the video:

How did social media react?

A third posted, “Are Americans willing to do these jobs? I see factories with automation and robots in the comments, but that would take years and years... So I'm a little confused as to what will happen.” A fourth wrote, “Not sure that poking fun at American workers is what they want to do… We are their largest consumer.”

China's revenge move:

Announcing the increase in tariff on American goods, the Chinese finance ministry, as reported by Reuters, said, “The U.S. imposition of abnormally high tariffs on China seriously violates international and economic trade rules, basic economic laws and common sense and is completely unilateral bullying and coercion."

“If the US continues to impose additional tariffs on Chinese goods exported to the US, China will ignore it,” the minister added.

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Trisha Sengupta

Trisha Sengupta works as Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of experience in the digital newsroom. Known for her ability to decode the internet’s most talked-about moments, she specialises in high-engagement storytelling that bridges the gap between viral trends and traditional journalism. Throughout her tenure, Trisha has focused on the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. She frequently covers personal finance and real estate struggles in hubs like Gurgaon, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, while also documenting the unique challenges of the NRI experience. Her work often highlights the movements and philosophies of global newsmakers and personalities like Elon Musk, Mukesh Ambani, Nikhil Kamath, Dubai crown prince, and MrBeast. From reporting on Amazon or Meta layoffs and startup culture to the emergence of AI-driven platforms like Grok and xAI, she provides a grounded and empathetic perspective on the stories shaping our world. When not decoding the internet, Trisha is likely offline: lost in a book, exploring a historical ruin, or navigating the world as a solo traveler. She balances her fast-paced career with family time and a healthy dose of curiosity, currently trading her "human" sources for silicon ones as she masters AI to future-proof her storytelling.

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