Pakistan’s first ethical AI standards for newsrooms launched at Sahafi Summit 2025

A multi-stakeholder group of media professionals convened by Media Matters for Democracy (MMFD) launched the Standards for AI in Journalism.

This initiative marks the first collective, locally grounded effort to define responsible AI use in Pakistani newsrooms.

The standards were launched at the closing of the Sahafi Summit 2025, a three-day convening focused on AI in journalism, held in collaboration with the Department of Media and Development Communication, University of the Punjab, held with support from the European Union in Pakistan and UNESCO’s Information.

The standards were developed through a hands-on co-creation process with industry leaders. They are designed to help newsrooms uphold journalism’s core values by strengthening accountability and transparency, and by keeping human oversight, integrity, and accuracy at the centre of AI adoption. Together, these pillars form a comprehensive framework for safe, transparent, and contextually grounded use of AI in Pakistani newsrooms.

“We hope that these principles will provide a grounding and a pathway for integrating AI tools in a way that strengthens, rather than replaces, journalistic practice,” said Asad Baig, Founder of Media Matters for Democracy.

“The standards view AI not only as a tool for content production but as a technology that will reshape labour, sustainability, and the editorial culture.”

Building on this, Baig emphasised the importance of grounding the standards in practical newsroom experience.

“For any standards to be meaningful, they must reflect the realities of the local media environment,” Baig added. “These standards draw on the collective experience and insights of editors from national and international newsrooms, and we look forward to supporting their practical implementation.”

Faculty members and students of the Department of Media and Development Communication, engaged in extensive discussions, workshops and dialogue on the integration of AI.

“Our media students will define the future of journalism in Pakistan and it is essential for us to create opportunities for them to engage in these critical discussions about AI”, said Dr Ayesha Ashfaq, Chairperson of the Department, “We hope that the discussions and capacity building efforts in the summit will help the students better define their own directions in future”, she said.

MMfD will begin industry consultations in early 2026 to facilitate a phased and practical adoption of the AI Standards in newsrooms across Pakistan.