Artificial intelligence has moved beyond the realm of science fiction. It is already reshaping newsrooms, social media, politics, automobiles and the advertising sectors around the world. AI-generated anchors, deepfake videos, and algorithmic targeting are spreading fast, yet different countries still rely on archaic laws drafted long before machine learning entered public life. The gap between regulation and reality is widening, and with it, the risks to journalism, social media, democracy, and public trust.
Right now, Pakistan manages digital harms through old statutes. The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 criminalises offences like online harassment, defamation, and data theft. While useful against individual wrongdoers, PECA does little to address systemic threats posed by AI, such as disinformation campaigns or synthetic media designed to sway elections. Meanwhile, traditional broadcast media remain under the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), created by its 2002 ordinance. PEMRA enforces licensing, decency standards, and penalties for TV and radio. But its rules were designed for an analogue world. They cannot cover synthetic newsreaders, AI voiceovers, or algorithmically generated stories that bypass traditional broadcasters altogether. The result is uneven regulation: licensed channels may face scrutiny, while viral AI content circulates unchecked.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) wields blocking powers to take down unlawful content and suspend platforms. But the growing presence of AI presents new challenges. Deepfakes can be recreated in seconds; blocking one video does not stop another from appearing. More importantly, current rules do not demand transparency from the algorithms that shape what millions see on their feeds. In today’s media environment, the hidden ranking and recommendation systems often matter more than the content itself, yet they remain unregulated.
Other countries are moving faster. UNESCO has also urged members to ensure AI is transparent, accountable, and subject to human oversight. The European Union’s AI Act goes further, banning the most dangerous AI uses, regulating high-risk systems like election manipulation, and requiring labels for AI-generated content. Pakistan does not need to replicate these frameworks word for word, but it does need to adapt their principles. Risk-based regulation, disclosure obligations, and accountability for developers and deployers are crucial if the country is to keep pace.
Some foundations are already being laid. Punjab’s incumbent government has taken steps that show an awareness of how the digital future must be harnessed wisely. The laptop scheme, revived to equip students with technology, is not just a welfare initiative but a preparation of the young generation for an AI-driven world. As Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif recently remarked, “We want our youth to compete with the world, not to remain bystanders of progress.” Her emphasis on education and digital empowerment illustrates that provinces can play their part in aligning technology with social mobility. But hardware alone is not enough; the laws that govern how this technology is deployed matter equally.
What might this look like in Pakistan? Citizens deserve to know whether they are engaging with human or machine-made content. Organisations that use AI to influence public opinion should be subject to external reviews of their algorithms and targeting practices. A specialised unit, working transparently within regulatory bodies, should be tasked with auditing amplification systems and ensuring that AI is not weaponised to undermine democracy. Yet in all of this, safeguards must be built so that regulation does not slide into censorship. Overreach could be as damaging as neglect.
If AI challenges us to distinguish between what is real and what is fabricated, it also reminds us that the responsibility lies not only with governments but with society at large. Media literacy, independent watchdogs, and civic awareness will be the lasting bulwarks against manipulation. Pakistan’s recently approved National AI Policy is a promising step, but until aspirations are converted into enforceable law, risks will only multiply.
This is the decisive moment. Either Pakistan writes its own rules for an AI future, or it will be written over by invisible algorithms indifferent to truth or trust. In CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s words, “Technology is not our enemy; ignorance is.” If we carry this insight into policy, the country can both protect its democracy and empower its people to thrive in the digital age.
The writer is a Lahore-based public policy analyst, who can be reached at [email protected]