Pakistan’s prominent English daily, Dawn, has come under fire after it was found using AI tools such as ChatGPT to edit and refine its news content. The controversy erupted when readers noticed traces of an AI-generated prompt left unintentionally in one of its published articles. The error appeared in the Business section of the paper on November 12, in a story titled “Auto sales rev up in October.” “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 last paragraph of the report contained what seemed to be an instruction meant for the AI editor, suggesting that the newspaper had used artificial intelligence to help draft or polish the piece.
I understand the wonders of AI but for the life of me, I never imagined this would happen at @dawn_com perhaps I can assume it’s not the usual/real editor but some ISPR/isi M wing NDU degree holder in charge of affairs nowadays??
As it’s not just the copy writing but the general… pic.twitter.com/pzF2ZPL4y8---Advertisement---— Mirza Shahzad Akbar (@ShazadAkbar) November 12, 2025
The incident quickly spread across social media, with users criticizing the publication for relying on AI without transparency. Many questioned the editorial oversight at one of Pakistan’s oldest and most respected news outlets, while others raised concerns about the growing use of AI in journalism and its impact on credibility and authenticity.
X Users Slam Pakistani Newspaper
Several users on X (formerly Twitter) pointed out the mistake and expressed concern over such a serious lapse by one of Pakistan’s most respected and widely read newspapers.
Journalist Omar Quraishi took a light-hearted dig at the incident, making a joke about the newspaper’s AI-related blunder. “I know journalists are using AI in their work, but this is a bit much!”
Omar Quraishi commented on X, saying that the Dawn business desk “should have at least removed the last paragraph.”
Former Federal Minister Shireen Mazari also commented, “at least the last para should have been deleted so at least a veneer of credibility was retained!” Journalist Moeed Pirzada mocked the newspaper’s mistake, writing, “OMG! Dawn? You need Intelligence to use AI.
