Pakistan's Dawn Newspaper Faces Backlash After AI Editing Blunder Appears In Print

Pakistan’s leading English daily, Dawn, is under fire after an apparent AI slip-up exposed its use of tools like ChatGPT in news editing. The controversy erupted when a business story published on November 12 accidentally included an AI-generated prompt, sparking criticism and raising concerns over editorial oversight and transparency in journalism.

AI's responde to a possible prompt 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?”

The newspaper article's picture has been doing rounds on social media with multiple users expressing their anger over the issue

One user wrote, "Chat GPT can help design pages, give snappy headlines and also eat up jobs of the desk hands who use it. This is from Pak newspaper Dawn."

Another user wrote, "It sounds like a classic case of confusing automation with outright replacement. I think these tools are fantastic for augmenting workflows, letting the "desk hands" focus on the bigger picture instead of the mundane bits."

Replying to a post with the Dawn Newspaper article's image attached, one user wrote, "and than world is wondering on the state of news and media agencies. people just don't want to put there heart and soul into the craft. it's just sad beyond words."

Another social media user wrote, "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."