AI detectors are reshaping literary judgment, risking to label ancient works like the Iliad as machine-generated, while authors face new scrutiny over their creative process.
AI detectors challenge literary judgment
Samuel Lequette, a professor of literature, linguist, and writer, questions the role of AI detectors in evaluating literary works. He uses the case of Thélyson Orélien to explore broader issues in literary criticism and the right to opacity.Homeric formulas trigger AI suspicion
Lequette highlights that the repetitive formulas in Homeric texts, such as "Achilles with the swift feet," might be flagged by AI detectors as artificial. This raises concerns that even ancient works like the Iliad could be misjudged as machine-generated.Orélien case sparks debate
On September 21, an anonymous account claimed that C'était ça ou mourir by Thélyson Orélien was almost entirely written by AI. Four days later, the Goncourt Prize removed the novel from its shortlist, citing plagiarism and AI-generated content.Publisher’s claims and author’s denial
The Canadian publisher of Orélien’s novel analyzed the manuscript’s metadata and claimed to find AI traces. The author admitted to plagiarism but denied using AI. The Renaudot Prize, however, kept the book in its shortlist.AI detection becomes a commercial market
The suspicion of AI-generated texts has created a new market for detection software. OpenAI developed an invisible watermark for ChatGPT texts but abandoned it in 2024. Now, the company plans to reintroduce it in the EU, though its methods are not fully public.Detector methods vary widely
Different AI detectors use distinct methods. Some analyze word-by-word predictability, while others, like Pangram, train on large datasets. These differences lead to varying results, with some detectors finding only 7 to 59% AI content in the same excerpts.Suspicion changes how we read
An investigative reading style is emerging, focusing more on the origin of a book than its content. Readers often perform better when they believe a story is human-written, even if it isn’t. This shift raises concerns about the value of reading itself.Judging books by their authors’ origins
Lequette criticizes the practice of judging books based on the perceived origin of their authors. This echoes Proust’s criticism of Sainte-Beuve, who judged writers by their backgrounds. Now, software performs this task, shifting the burden of proof onto authors.Literary industry seeks AI proof
The Madrigall group plans to use AI detectors on manuscripts starting in 2027. This reflects a broader trend in the literary industry, where publishers and editors seek certificates of authenticity rather than engaging with the work itself.Right to opacity in literature
Édouard Glissant advocated for the "right to opacity," arguing that works should not be forced to reveal their creation process. This perspective has been invoked in defense of Orélien, emphasizing that the meaning of a text is found in its reading, not its origins.
