Pakistan minister flags AI impact on advertising jobs

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 18 December 2025 |  JP Staff Report

Information Minister Ataullah Tarar has raised alarms about AI's effect on jobs in the advertising sector. He has invited stakeholders to propose solutions to these emerging challenges.

Summary

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s Information Minister Ataullah Tarar has publicly raised concerns about the impact of artificial intelligence on employment in the country’s advertising sector, calling for proposals to address the emerging challenges.

In a post on X, Tarar said the growing use of AI in advertising is causing employment issues for creative professionals, including content creators, graphic designers, editors, creative directors, actors, models, and technical staff such as cameramen.

AI disruption and creative jobs

Tarar described the situation as a risk to creative professions becoming redundant and invited stakeholders to suggest ways to protect these roles. He asked for proposals to be submitted via email to the Press Information Department, signaling an official channel for feedback.

The statement marks one of the clearest acknowledgments by a senior Pakistani government official that AI adoption may have labor market consequences for media and advertising workers, sectors that have already been under economic pressure.

Policy debate and industry response

While the minister did not outline specific policy measures, his outreach suggests the government is at an exploratory stage, seeking input from industry professionals, unions, and companies affected by automation.

Globally, the use of AI tools for content generation, design, and post-production has intensified debate over job displacement versus productivity gains. Tarar’s intervention places Pakistan within that broader discussion, though any regulatory or support framework would depend on proposals received and subsequent policy decisions.