The Pulse
Goncourt Removes Thélyson Orélien Novel After AI Allegations
The Académie Goncourt removed Thélyson Orélien’s novel from its longlist, citing plagiarism allegations and analyses indicating it was likely largely AI-generated. Orélien denies using AI, while separate detection results and allegations of
AI.info Team ·
35,000 copies, then removal from the Goncourt list
Thélyson Orélien’s novel had sold about 35,000 copies in France and won the Prix du roman Fnac when the Académie Goncourt removed it from its longlist on Friday, September 25. The decision followed accusations that C’était ça ou mourir (“It Was That or Die”) was written with artificial intelligence, as well as separate plagiarism allegations reported in French media. Orélien denies using AI; the claims remain contested.
The academy said it acted to preserve the prize’s integrity and its role in promoting literature. In its statement, it cited “the convergent result of several analyses by trustworthy researchers and journalists,” saying the novel was “in all likelihood very largely the product of artificial intelligence.” It also referred to alleged plagiarism. Those are the academy’s stated grounds for removing the book, not an independent finding that AI wrote it.
A detector claim met with conflicting results
The accusation surfaced on X on September 21, the day the novel won the Fnac prize. An anonymous account, Balance ton Claude, said it had tested the book with Pangram and that the tool indicated it was “almost entirely” AI-written. French media outlets, however, found that other detection programs identified the novel as very probably written by a human. The results described so far point in different directions; they do not settle who wrote the book.
Orélien, 38, rejected the allegation and said he believed it was racially motivated.
“I don’t see why I would use a machine.”
Thélyson Orélien, author, speaking to The Guardian.
He has also described the prose’s imagery, repetition and rhythm as part of a Haitian and Caribbean tradition. The anonymous account was later identified by Le Figaro as its columnist Samuel Fitoussi, who said he feared AI would cause “the disappearance of reading and writing.”
Plagiarism claims changed the academy’s position
On Wednesday, September 23, Académie Goncourt president Philippe Claudel had urged caution about the AI allegation. The Guardian reported that separate plagiarism claims published in French media appeared to precede a change in the academy’s position. Libération alleged that Orélien plagiarised an award-winning short story from the preface of Louis Pauwels’ The Morning of the Magicians, first published in 1960.
The novel’s original publisher, Canada-based Le Éditions du Boréal, said it could not confirm or deny the AI allegations and cautioned against rushing to judgment. “Without credible, concrete evidence, it is not our place to decide whether this book has a right to exist,” the publisher said. It also condemned personal attacks against Orélien and urged restraint.
A bestseller faces questions beyond one prize
Published in France by Grasset in August, the first-person novel follows a Haitian history and geography teacher fleeing gang violence, crossing 12 countries before reaching Canada. Translation rights have been sold in more than 20 countries. Orélien said at a literary festival in Manosque on Thursday that he would step back from commenting on the latest claims, saying he felt the attacks were aimed at his voice as well as his book.
The Goncourt’s next shortlist is scheduled for October 6, with the winner due to be announced November 4. The academy has made its decision about Orélien’s place on the longlist; the competing AI-detection results, the author’s denial and the separate plagiarism allegation remain distinct parts of a dispute that the available statements do not resolve.