The latest buzzword in the Pakistani politics is “Artificial Intelligence (AI)”. This has become fashionable at a particular time and in a particular context. But before I say anything more in this regard I would like to quote from the Britannica the following: “Still, despite continuing advances in computer processing speed and memory capacity, there are as yet no programs that can match full human flexibility over wider domains or in tasks requiring much everyday knowledge.

On the other hand, some programs have attained the performance levels of human experts and professionals in performing certain specific tasks, so that artificial intelligence in this limited sense is found in applications as diverse as medical diagnosis, computer search engines, voice or handwriting recognition, and chatbots”.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister can be credited for bringing the phenomenon or ‘magic’ of AI under the national spotlight and intense media glare after he made a surprising claim that an essay recently published by The Economist of London under his name was actually “AI-generated”.

Elaborating his point, an incarcerated Imran Khan is reported to have said that “he did not write the article himself, rather it was based on the points he had dictated, which were put into words through the use of artificial intelligence”.

It is not known whether or not Imran Khan, a charismatic leader indeed, has spoken the truth or he has lied. In my view, however, Imran Khan has himself penned the article without the assistance of anybody in Pakistan or abroad. A publication such as The Economist would never take the risk of publishing an AI-generated piece.

This incident gives credence to speculations that Imran Khan has been allowed access to internet connection to use iPhone or laptop surreptitiously.

Nargis Khanum

Karachi

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024