Dawn apologizes after AI editing prompt mistakenly published in business story

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published last month |  JP Staff Report

Dawn faces backlash after an AI editing prompt accidentally appeared in a business story. The paper issued an apology and pledged to investigate the policy breach.

Summary

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s leading English-language daily, Dawn, found itself in an embarrassing position after an apparent artificial intelligence (AI) editing glitch slipped into one of its published reports. The blunder, spotted in the paper’s Business section on Wednesday (November 12), involved the inclusion of an AI-generated prompt at the end of a story titled “Auto sales rev up in October.” 

The published version concluded with a telltale AI prompt reading: “If you want, I can 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?”

Social media backlash and rapid scrutiny

The unintentional inclusion of this line, clearly not meant for publication, was quickly noticed by readers and went viral on social media, drawing both ridicule and criticism from journalists and political figures. Screenshots of the printed version circulated widely on X (formerly Twitter), sparking discussions about newsroom reliance on AI tools and editorial oversight.

Dawn later corrected the story on its website and added an editorial note acknowledging the error. “This newspaper report was originally edited using AI, which is in violation of Dawn’s current AI policy. The policy is also available on our website. The report also carried some junk, which has now been edited out. The matter is being investigated. The violation of AI policy is regretted. — Editor,” the note read.

Reactions from journalists and political figures

The episode prompted commentary from several prominent figures. Former Dawn journalist Cyril Almeida remarked on X, “Paper has been gutted, business model failed… will get worse…” Meanwhile, Shireen Mazari, a senior PTI member, wrote: “Seriously @dawn_com atleast the last para shd have been deleted so atleast a veneer of credibility was retained!”

The incident underscores growing tensions within traditional newsrooms over the use of AI in journalism, particularly as many outlets experiment with machine-assisted editing and content generation. Dawn’s swift public acknowledgment of the lapse may help restore credibility, but the episode adds to the broader debate on editorial integrity in the AI era.

KEY POINTS:

• Dawn faced embarrassment after an AI editing prompt accidentally appeared at the end of a business story titled 'Auto sales rev up in October.'
• The newspaper issued an apology, acknowledging the breach of its AI policy and confirming an internal investigation into the incident.
• The mistake sparked social media debate, with reactions from figures like Shireen Mazari and former Dawn journalist Cyril Almeida.

PHOTO: AI-generated. A faceless newsroom moment capturing the accidental AI prompt that slipped into print.