Lahore: Punjab University (PU) Department of Media and Development Communication on Tuesday launched a U.S.-supported project titled ‘Digital Trust and Free Expression in the AI Era: Strengthening Responsible Content Creation in Open Digital Spaces’ to promote ethical journalism, responsible artificial intelligence (AI) use and digital trust. The initiative was being implemented with the support of U.S. Mission to Pakistan in partnership with the Pakistan-U.S. Alumni Network (PUAN). Speaking at the inaugural ceremony as chief guest, Punjab University Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ali said universities had a critical responsibility to prepare responsible digital communicators capable of upholding truth and integrity in an increasingly technology-driven information environment.
He observed that while AI could accelerate access to information and process vast amounts of data, it could not replace human judgment, empathy and intuition, which remain indispensable for ethical journalism and credible storytelling. Project Lead Dr. Ayesha Ashfaq highlighted the growing challenges posed by AI-generated content, synthetic media and deepfakes, emphasizing the urgent need to strengthen verification skills and promote responsible AI use among journalists and digital content creators. Senior journalist Sohail Warraich stressed the importance of restoring journalism’s credibility through truth, transparency and sound editorial judgment, saying these values were essential for rebuilding public trust amid the rapid spread of digital information.
Senior anchor and digital media consultant Ajmal Jami discussed the transformation of modern newsrooms, noting that AI-powered algorithms increasingly influence content visibility and audience engagement, making it imperative for journalists to understand and adapt to evolving digital media dynamics.
Media development practitioner at Shirkat Gah Fazli Hadi presented an overview of Pakistan’s digital information landscape, identifying emerging trends, existing capacity gaps and the need for enhanced verification and fact-checking skills across the media sector. The ceremony was attended by faculty members Dr. Shazia Ismail Toor and Dr. Madiha Maqsood, along with representatives of the U.S. Consulate General Lahore. The project aims to equip early-career journalists, media students and digital content creators with practical skills in verification, ethical storytelling and responsible AI use, thereby strengthening public trust in Pakistan’s rapidly evolving digital information ecosystem.