Novelist removed from French literary prize longlist over AI writing allegations

Novel Withdrawn from Goncourt Prize

The Académie Goncourt, organizers of France’s Goncourt literary prize, removed Thélyson Orélien’s novel "C’était ça ou mourir" (It Was That or Die) from its longlist. The decision followed an anonymous online claim that the book was "almost entirely" written by AI. The Académie stated its desire to preserve the integrity of the prize and its role in promoting literature.

Allegations of AI Authorship

Allegations surfaced on X (formerly Twitter) on September 21, the same day the book won the Prix du roman Fnac. An anonymous account, "Balance ton Claude," claimed to have used the AI detection software Pangram, which indicated the novel was largely AI-generated. However, the accuracy of Pangram has been questioned, with other AI detection programs identifying the work as likely human-written.

Author's Denial and Context

Thélyson Orélien, the Canadian-Haitian author, denied the allegations, suggesting they were racially motivated. He stated his writing style incorporates traditional Haitian and Caribbean language and rhythms. The book, a first-person account of fleeing gang violence and seeking refuge, has sold approximately 35,000 copies and secured translation rights in over 20 countries.

Identity of Accuser Revealed

The anonymous X account was later identified as belonging to Samuel Fitoussi, a columnist for Le Figaro. Fitoussi stated his motivation was a concern that AI could lead to the "disappearance of reading and writing," despite his self-proclaimed techno-optimism. The Académie Goncourt’s president, Philippe Claudel, had initially urged caution regarding the AI allegations, but separate plagiarism accusations against Orélien also emerged in French media.