Pakistan’s higher education sector is finally stepping into the future. By Fall 2026, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) will require a mandatory three-credit-hour AI course for all university degrees. Furthermore, to regulate students’ AI usage, HEC recently circulated a draft generative AI policy. However, a closer look reveals massive loopholes in these regulations. These imported policies completely ignore the realities of local universities and require a major strategic shift.
The AI Detection Trap in the HEC Generative AI Policy
The HEC draft explicitly bans students from submitting AI-generated assignments. It also demands full disclosure of any AI tools used. Unfortunately, this approach is fundamentally flawed. Teachers cannot realistically verify student disclosures, making the ban entirely unenforceable.
Even worse, relying on AI detection software creates a dangerous bias against our students. A 2023 Stanford University study, published in Patterns, proved this exact point. Researchers ran TOEFL essays written by non-native English speakers through seven major AI detectors. Staggeringly, the software falsely flagged 61% of these human-written essays as AI-generated. The algorithms unfairly penalize the straightforward vocabulary commonly used by second-language learners.
Currently, no AI detector is validated for Pakistani students. Therefore, universities simply cannot use them to punish academic misconduct.
AI is a Multiplier, Not a Magic Wand
Regulators also need to understand how artificial intelligence actually functions. AI does not create skills out of thin air. Instead, it multiplies existing expertise.
For instance, data scientists on competitive platforms like Kaggle all use the exact same AI tools. Yet, the final scores differ drastically. Human experts must still ask the right questions, verify data integrity, and spot algorithmic errors.
Therefore, universities must treat a doctoral researcher and a freshman differently. A senior researcher uses AI to accelerate their advanced work. Meanwhile, a second-semester undergraduate might use the same tool to skip learning altogether. Traditional education still matters. Writing an essay builds critical thinking capacity. AI might change the market value of the final document, but students still need that cognitive workout.
Revamping the Curriculum & Grading Methods
The upcoming compulsory HEC course needs a serious reality check. If universities just teach students how to write chat prompts, the degree will hold zero market value. Hundreds of millions of people already use chatbots for free.
Instead, the curriculum must teach students how to actually build with AI. Graduates must learn API integration, structured data generation, and large-scale task automation. Take developer Peter Steinberger as an example. He combined his existing software background with OpenAI’s Codex to build OpenClaw. The project exploded in popularity and quickly secured independent funding from OpenAI. He succeeded because he multiplied his solid foundation using AI.
Finally, Pakistan cannot just copy-paste policies from North American business schools. We deal with massive class sizes and different industry adoption rates. To adapt, universities must separate learning from grading. Take-home assignments should act as practice, where students openly use AI. Conversely, actual grading must happen in supervised, in-person environments. Timed in-class writing, proctored computer labs, and five-minute oral defenses (vivas) are the only bulletproof solutions. A quick conversation instantly reveals if a student actually understands their work or just copied a chatbot.
