Author denies AI use in novel
The author of C'était ça ou mourir, Thélyson Orélien, denied using artificial intelligence to write his novel, according to a statement released by the Quebec publisher Boréal. The publisher confirmed it has no conclusive evidence to prove AI was involved in the book’s creation.Publisher defends author
Boréal announced it would continue distributing the novel and defended Orélien against accusations of AI use. The publisher criticized personal attacks and emphasized its support for the author, stating it does not require proof from writers but must stand by them.Controversy and sales
Despite the controversy, C'était ça ou mourir has sold over 65,000 copies. The X account "Balance ton Claude" accused Orélien of using generative AI to write the novel, which became one of the best-sellers of the literary season in France.Debate over AI in literature
The accusations sparked a three-week debate in the publishing world about the role of AI in creative writing. Boréal stated Orélien should not be seen as a scapegoat for concerns about AI and left it to readers to form their own opinions.Author admits plagiarism
In a statement to AFP, Orélien denied that any sentence in his novel was created by a machine. However, he admitted to having committed "unacceptable errors" by plagiarizing other authors in different texts after arriving in Canada.Promotion tour halted
Boréal suspended the promotional tour for C'était ça ou mourir after La Presse revealed that one of Orélien’s 2013 chronicles was nearly a direct translation of an article from The Philippine Star. Orélien then cut short his tour in France and returned to Quebec.Excluded from major prize
C'était ça ou mourir was excluded from the Goncourt Prize selection, but it remained in the second round of the Renaudot Prize, which includes nine novels.
