AI Literacy in Media Education: A Study among Public Sector University Students of Sindh Province

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) literacy has become an essential skill in the present-day higher education, especially in media education where technological convergence keeps redefining content production, dissemination, and consumption. In this connection, Higher Education Commission Pakistan has focused on the incorporation of AI learning in all disciplines as well as AI literacy has become a mandatory part of higher education programs by the academic years 202526. This policy trend highlights a sense of urgency in the need to prepare students with AI-related skills to address the emerging academic and industry needs. The paper is a research on the AI literacy of students and faculty members of the public sector universities in Sindh, Pakistan. The data were gathered through a survey based quantitative research design, in the selected Universities with Media and Communication Studies programs. The research considers central aspects of AI literacy, such as the conceptual knowledge of AI, the application of AI-generated content in creating media, the critical conceptualization of AI-generated content, and the awareness of ethical issues, such as bias, misinformation, and data privacy. The results indicate that there is the moderate degree of awareness and use of AI tools among the respondents but, there are important gaps in critical and ethical knowledge. Although a large proportion of participants indicated knowledge of AI applications like content creation and editing tools, smaller groups indicated that they were capable of critically evaluating AI outputs or that they could interpret how the algorithm works. Access to training resources, institutional support, and curriculum integration were found to be important factors that could affect AI literacy levels. The paper points to the pressing necessity to implement systematic AI literacy programs within media education programs in Sindh according to national policies. It suggests capacity-building, training of faculty, and interventions at the level of policies to make the adoption of AI in the field of media education responsible and effective. With increased AI literacy, universities will be in a better position to educate students to navigate the dynamic digital media landscape and become valuable contributors to the knowledge economy.

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