Canadian publisher Les Éditions du Boréal has ended its relationship with novelist Thélyson Orélien following allegations that he used artificial intelligence (AI) in the writing of his novel C’était ça ou mourir (It Was Either That or Die). This decision comes after a further investigation into the claims, which Orélien has consistently denied.
Background
Orélien, a top-selling Haitian Canadian writer, was removed from the list for France’s Prix Goncourt last month. Initially, Boréal stood by the 38-year-old author, asserting that they believed in his innocence. However, new information prompted the publisher to reassess the situation.
Investigation Findings
In a statement, Boréal revealed:
“"New information, confirmed over the past few days, indicates that artificial intelligence was used in the writing process" of the novel.
The publisher stated that it was uncertain about the extent of AI's involvement, noting:
“"We will likely never have a definitive answer."
To investigate the allegations, Boréal collected all working versions of the novel and hired an external party to analyze various drafts. The analysis reportedly revealed traces of AI tags in the metadata of certain documents.
