Did AI write France’s breakout novel? What we know about the Thélyson Orélien controversy

Thélyson Orélien, a 38-year-old Haitian-Canadian author, has become the center of controversy after winning the 2026 Prix du Roman Fnac for his debut novel, C était ça ou mourir. The award-winning novel faced accusations of being written by artificial intelligence, which led to the suspension of promotion for the book and raising questions about the credibility of the prestigious French literary prize.

However, Orélien has denied these claims, maintaining his innocence and citing Haitian and Caribbean literary traditions as his inspiration. The plagiarism allegations further widened the controversy, with Orélien's Canadian publisher taking a more cautious approach, while the Académie Goncourt, which administers France's oldest and most prestigious literary prize, has decided to keep the novel on its shortlist.