Advisor to the Punjab Chief Minister Ali Dar attended the Department of Digital Media at University of the Punjab as chief guest for Media and Information Literacy Week 2026. The week was held under the theme MIL in the Age of AI, where MIL stands for media and information literacy, and the participation of the advisor was announced by The Office of AI. The theme links the established subject of media and information literacy with the use of artificial intelligence (AI), which has changed the way that content is produced, shared and judged by audiences. By inviting a government official who works on AI policy for the province, the department placed the discussion in the context of public administration.
Ali Dar addressed students at the event, where he spoke on the responsible and ethical use of AI. The event explored several issues that are connected to the subject, including authenticity, accountability, deepfakes, disinformation and responsible digital participation. These issues concern anyone who creates or consumes media, since AI tools can produce images, audio and text that look genuine but may not be, and since the sharing of false material can spread quickly online. Students of digital media are likely to work with such tools and content, so a discussion of these questions suits the programme of the department.
According to The Office of AI, the engagement reflected the importance of building not only AI skills, but also the awareness and judgment that are needed to use emerging technologies responsibly. This statement places equal weight on technical ability and on the ability to decide how a tool should be used, which is the central point of media and information literacy. A person who can operate an AI system but cannot assess the accuracy of its output, or who does not consider the effects of using it, may contribute to the spread of misleading information, and the message to students was that both kinds of preparation are needed.
The announcement was shared with hashtags that include TheOfficeOfAI, AIEnabledDelivery, PunjabAI and AIVision2029, which connect the visit to the AI programme of the province. Media and Information Literacy Week 2026 at the university gave students a chance to hear from an official who works on the plans of Punjab for AI, in a setting that focused on authenticity, accountability and responsible participation online. With the participation of the advisor as chief guest, the Department of Digital Media brought the discussion of AI in the province into a university lecture setting.
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