Pakistan’s leading English daily, Dawn, has come under scrutiny for allegedly using AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to edit and write its news stories. The controversy unfolded after the publication accidentally included an AI-generated prompt in one of its business stories printed on November 12.
The error appeared in the last paragraph of an article titled “Auto sales rev up in October.” The last line of the article read, “If you want, I can also create an even snappier ‘front-page style’ version with punchy one-line stats and a bold, infographic-ready layout perfect for maximum reader impact. Do you want me to do that next?”
Social media users quickly noticed the blunder, sparking widespread criticism and raising questions about editorial oversight at one of Pakistan’s most respected newspapers. Sharing the post, a Pakistani Reddit handle wrote, “While reading Dawn newspaper of November 12, Wednesday I came across an article in which I found use of It is an embarrassment for print media and singularly for a newsaper like DAWN which has an excellent recognition.”
“Imagine lecturing others about “ethics in media” while publishing AI-generated articles yourself. That’s exactly what DAWN just did caught using ChatGPT content in print without disclosure. The mask has slipped, and the hypocrisy is showing. #DawnGPT,” an X user wrote.
Dawn was launched in British India by Muhammad Ali Jinnah in 1941. The first issue was printed at Latifi Press on October 12, 1942.
