Publisher cuts ties with Quebec author after saying it found evidence of AI use

Quebec publishing house Les Éditions du Boréal has severed ties with author Thélyson Orélien following allegations that artificial intelligence was used to write his debut novel, "C’était ça ou mourir" ("It was either that or dying"). The publisher discovered evidence through metadata analysis of some documents that suggested AI was employed during the creation of the book. Les Éditions du Boréal stated they will not reprint the novel or publish further works by Orélien.

The allegations first surfaced on social media in September, when an account named "Balance ton Claude" claimed that the Pangram software analysis revealed the novel had been "almost entirely written by artificial intelligence." Initially, both the publisher and Orélien claimed they were working to compile detailed evidence to disprove the AI allegations. However, weeks later, the publisher announced that Orélien had decided to end the investigation process.

In a press release on Wednesday, the publisher acknowledged they would not "play the role of investigator" regarding their authors. They stated that despite not knowing the extent to which AI was used in "C’était ça ou mourir," they could not leave the matter unresolved. The publisher expressed disappointment at the situation and the lack of a definitive answer about AI's role in the book's creation.

Orélien has denied using AI to write the novel, claiming he began working on it in 2017 and completed the first draft in 2019. He admitted to using AI for research purposes. The author apologized for what he described as "cruel" actions, stating that attributing the text to a machine has questioned his status as a writer and his humanity.

The novel had been set for a new printing and had won the Prix du Roman Fnac and earned nominations for several major French literary awards. However, it was subsequently removed from consideration for France's prestigious Prix Goncourt. Les Éditions du Boréal suspended promotional activities for the book in September due to concerns for Orélien's well-being.

The Quebec writers' union president praised the publisher's decision, calling it a clear declaration that such work has no place on their shelves. He criticized the publisher's previous ambiguous information, which put undue burden on readers to determine whether to purchase the book. The union urged Les Éditions du Boréal to provide more details on the evidence of AI use, as this information could help readers and industry professionals navigate similar situations.