LAHORE: U.S. Consul General Stetson A. Sanders joined academic leaders and senior journalists at the University of the Punjab to mark the conclusion of "Digital Trust and Free Expression in the AI Era: Strengthening Responsible Content Creation in Open Digital Spaces," a project supported by the U.S. Mission to Pakistan. The initiative aimed to enhance digital trust and responsible media practices in the context of artificial intelligence.

According to University of the Punjab, the closing ceremony, held at the PU CEMB Auditorium on the Quaid-e-Azam Campus, featured speeches from senior journalists, media analysts, and academic leaders. Consul General Sanders, the Chief Guest, emphasized the value of the U.S.-Pakistan partnership in promoting open and trustworthy digital spaces. The project, delivered through the Department of Media and Development Communication, trained emerging media professionals in ethical storytelling, verification practice, and AI literacy.

Project Lead Dr. Ayesha Ashfaq provided an overview of the initiative's outcomes, underscoring its impact on responsible digital communication among future Pakistani journalists. A key outcome of the project is a newly developed AI Toolkit, introduced by media development practitioner Fazli Hadi, which supports ethical content creation and verification. Senior journalist Mehmal Sarfraz discussed the evolving challenges of digital trust, while Muneeb Farooq outlined a roadmap for young journalists in open digital spaces.

The ceremony concluded with the distribution of certificates to participants and project team members, acknowledging their contributions throughout the initiative. The project is part of the U.S. Mission to Pakistan's ongoing commitment to media literacy and digital trust in the country’s changing information landscape.