Pakistan’s oldest English daily criticised for publishing unedited ChatGPT prompt: 'Slop fest'

As of now, the newspaper has not issued a public statement addressing the episode.

A significant editorial lapse by Pakistan’s leading English-language newspaper, Dawn, triggered widespread criticism this week after an AI-generated prompt appeared in one of its printed business stories.

The issue emerged on November 12, when readers noticed an unusual line at the end of a report in the business section. A screenshot of the item circulated on social media shortly afterwards, showing an unedited instruction evidently produced by an AI writing tool.

The line, attributed to ChatGPT, stated: “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 screenshot rapidly gained traction online, prompting strong reactions. Many users remarked that they were surprised a newspaper long associated with editorial rigour had allowed an AI-generated message to pass through to print unchanged. Some commentators criticised the oversight as an example of declining standards, with a number of readers announcing they no longer wished to rely on the outlet, citing concerns about “journalistic credibility”.

The publication’s long-standing reputation amplified the reaction. Founded in 1941 in Delhi by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Dawn later shifted to Lahore after Partition in 1947 and has since been regarded as one of South Asia’s most authoritative news organisations. The paper has traditionally been viewed as an example of strong reporting and careful editing.

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. pic.twitter.com/nNfzGHbxfG

— Man Aman Singh Chhina (@manaman_chhina) November 12, 2025

The misstep reignited broader concerns about the growing use of AI tools in newsrooms and the associated risks when drafts or prompts are not properly reviewed before publication. Online discussions focused not only on the incident itself but on the wider implications for accuracy, transparency, and editorial responsibility in an era of increasing automation.

Further criticism followed after another image of the article, titled “Auto sales rev up in October”, spread online. The last line was the same AI prompt in full. On Reddit, a user wrote: “While reading Dawn newspaper of November 12, Wednesday I came across an article in which I found use of Chat Gpt. It is an embarrassment for print media and singularly for a newspaper like DAWN which has an excellent recognition.”

"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," a 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.#DawnGPTpic.twitter.com/Z7GmCpArHw

— (@ufff_areesha) November 12, 2025

One X user commented: “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.”

As of now, the newspaper has not issued a public statement addressing the episode.