Digital age embarrassment for Pakistan as newspaper prints ChatGPT note!

Pakistan’s flagship English newspaper, Dawn, launched by Muhammad Ali Jinnah in 1941, found itself in a digital‑age embarrassment when an AI‑generated prompt from ChatGPT slipped into the Business section and was actually printed.

In a story about the recent surge in auto sales, the editorial team apparently pasted a ChatGPT note instead of a regular paragraph — “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 post spread like wildfire.

Netizens react:

“My man had one job, must be looking for a new one now,” a user wrote, another commented, “Fact of the matter is somebody actually read that!”

A third reacted, “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.”

Dawn’s response:

Accepting the violation of their policy, Dawn, in an official statement, apologised for the use of AI and also said that an investigation into the matter is underway.