Evidence of artificial intelligence (AI) usage has emerged in a novel that was a contender for France's prestigious Prix Goncourt, leading the publisher to sever ties with the author.
On October 21, Canadian publisher Boréal announced that it had confirmed the use of AI in the writing process of Haitian author Télesphore Aurélien's novel C'était ça ou mourir (It Was This or Death) and would end its collaboration with the author. The publisher has halted reprints of the novel and will not publish Aurélien's subsequent works.
Aurélien, who moved to Canada after the 2010 Haiti earthquake, gained attention in the French literary scene with this novel, which explores the immigrant experience. The work was nominated for several major French literary awards, including the Prix Goncourt, Prix Femina, Prix Renaudot, and Prix Médicis, and was set to be translated and published in over 20 countries.
This decision came about a week after the publisher publicly defended the author. Following allegations of AI usage, Boréal secured the manuscript and commissioned an external expert analysis, which revealed AI-related indicators in the metadata of some documents. Metadata refers to additional information contained in files, such as writing and revision history.
However, it remains unclear which parts of the novel were written by AI and how much it contributed to the writing process. Boréal stated that while definitive answers regarding the extent of AI usage may be difficult to ascertain, the breakdown of trust between the author and the publisher was a key reason for their separation.
Aurélien has consistently maintained that he did not use AI. He claimed to have completed a draft of over 300 pages in 2019, before generative AI services became widespread, and explained that the repetitive style of his work reflects the literary traditions of Haiti and the Caribbean, not AI characteristics. However, he has acknowledged instances of plagiarism in his past writings.
The controversy began in September when an anonymous account on X (formerly Twitter) claimed that an AI detection program indicated a high likelihood that the work was written by AI. Critics of AI detection tools have pointed out that they can mistakenly classify human-written text as AI-generated, but the controversy has continued to grow. Ultimately, the novel was removed from consideration for the Prix Goncourt amid allegations of AI authorship and the author's previous plagiarism issues.
Reuters reported that it sought a response from Aurélien regarding this announcement but did not receive an immediate reply.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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