Canadian-Haitian author Thélyson Orélien faces intense scrutiny across the French literary world after an anonymous X account accused him of using generative artificial intelligence to write his debut novel, C’était ça ou mourir.
The Allegations and the AI Detector Controversy
The controversy began on Monday when the anonymous X account “Balance ton Claude” claimed to expose AI-generated text, pointing to excerpts from Orélien’s novel. According to the account, tests run on the AI-detection tool Pangram rated the novel’s text as “100 per cent” artificial intelligence. CBC News replicated the Pangram experiment using different excerpts from the book, resulting in the same score.
The allegations surfaced on the exact day Orélien won the Prix du roman Fnac. The book tells the story of a man escaping gang violence in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, a narrative Orélien shaped using his own experience leaving Haiti after the 2010 earthquake and stories from migrants in Montreal. Orélien has vehemently denied the allegations. In a statement released Tuesday by his publisher Éditions du Boréal, he defended his stylistic choices against critics who flagged his heavy use of metaphors and similes.
“I come from a Haitian and Caribbean literary tradition in which poetry, imagery, repetition, and rhythm carry a living voice,” Orélien said in the statement. “One might debate my style, but treating its techniques as evidence of artificial intelligence has nothing to do with literary criticism.”
Did you know? AI-detection tools like Pangram do not actually detect artificial intelligence directly. Instead, they analyze text probabilities, flagging passages where words follow predictable statistical patterns.
Industry Response: Awards and Publishing Fallout
Claudel Philippe, president of the Académie Goncourt—which shortlisted Orélien for an award—told CBC in a statement Thursday that the author will not be disqualified unless “irrefutable evidence” emerges. The academy is taking time to consider factors that preserve the integrity of its work and prize, Philippe said.
David Leonard, executive director of the Writers’ Trust of Canada, noted that the industry is struggling to find reliable ways to police AI use. Currently, the organization relies on self-declarations by authors. “It’s a very fast-moving issue,” Leonard said. “We don’t want to be in a situation where we’re getting false positives, nor do we want to be in a situation where we’re using a tool that is not effective.”
Meanwhile, the fallout has affected Orélien’s scheduled appearances. On Thursday afternoon, the literary festival Salon du livre in the Eastern Townships dropped Orélien as its guest of honour. Shortly after, Éditions du Boréal announced it was suspending the author’s press tour in France to preserve his well-being, while confirming that the novel remains available to readers.
Plagiarism Allegations Add to Scrutiny
Beyond the AI accusations, the scandal expanded on Wednesday when the Quebec newspaper La Presse uncovered multiple instances of possible plagiarism in Orélien’s past columns published across various outlets dating back to 2012. Radio-Canada’s Décrypteurs subsequently verified those findings. François Cardinal, vice-president of information at La Presse, stated that while he read the book and never suspected AI involvement, the publication will likely not consider Orélien for future columns given the plagiarism findings.
Éditions du Boréal stated Thursday morning that it was taking stock of the newest and “very serious” plagiarism allegations. However, the publishing house defended its editorial process, noting that the manuscript was drafted several years ago and evolved through multiple exchanges with his editor. In its afternoon statement, the publisher noted that despite its best efforts, it is simply “impossible at this stage to confirm or deny the allegations,” adding that “in the absence of serious, tangible evidence, it is not for us to decide whether it has the right to exist.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the book at the center of the AI controversy?
The book is C’était ça ou mourir (“It was either that or die”), a debut novel by Canadian-Haitian author Thélyson Orélien that follows a teacher escaping gang violence in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
How were the AI allegations discovered?
An anonymous X account named “Balance ton Claude” used the AI-detection software Pangram to analyze excerpts from the novel, claiming the tool rated the text as entirely artificial.
Are AI detection tools completely reliable?
No. Experts and publishers note that AI detectors rely on statistical probabilities rather than definitive proof, raising concerns about false positives and the difficulty of confirming whether AI was used in creative writing.
What actions have publishers and awards taken?
Éditions du Boréal suspended Orélien’s press tour to protect his well-being, and the Salon du livre dropped him as a guest of honour. Major literary prizes like the Académie Goncourt stated they require irrefutable evidence before considering disqualification.
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