Pakistan’s Oldest Newspaper Caught Using ChatGPT for AI-Generated Content

A prominent English-language newspaper in Pakistan made an unusual blunder in its business section on November 12, publishing a report on a significant surge in vehicle sales. The article highlighted that sales of cars, vans, pickups, and SUVs had risen by 32% compared to the previous year.

What drew readers’ attention, however, was an odd paragraph at the end of the printed article, which appeared to be automatically generated by ChatGPT. Such notes are typically visible only during the writing or editing process, suggesting that it was mistakenly left in the final print edition.

The error was not caught during the editing process, and it remains unclear whether the paragraph originated from the reporter or was overlooked by the sub-editor.

This incident has sparked conversations about the increasing use of AI tools in journalism and the critical need for thorough editing before publication. The newspaper has yet to release an official statement regarding the mistake, while the background image shared online appears to have been AI-generated and intended for reference purposes only.