Author Denies AI Use in Award-Winning Novel Amidst Online Accusations
Canadian-Haitian writer Thélyson Orélien refutes claims that artificial intelligence was used in his celebrated migration story, "It Was Either That or Die."
Thélyson Orélien, a Canadian-Haitian author, has vehemently denied allegations that artificial intelligence (AI) was used to write significant portions of his award-winning novel, "C'était ça ou mourir" (It Was Either That or Die).
The accusations surfaced on Tuesday from an anonymous X account, "Balance ton Claude," which claimed the book was "almost entirely" produced by AI. Orélien, 38, addressed the claims in an interview with French newspaper Libération, stating, "I've always loved creating and writing, I don't see why I would use a machine." He added that he and his publishers are compiling evidence to prove his authorship.
Orélien suggested that the accusations might be racially motivated. His debut novel, which chronicles the perilous journey of a Haitian refugee to Canada, recently received the Prix du Roman Fnac and is also under consideration for France's prestigious Goncourt and Renaudot prizes.
Boreal, Orélien's Montreal-based publishing house, acknowledged the allegations and stated they are being taken seriously, but maintained their confidence in the author and his work remains "intact."
The difficulty in definitively identifying AI-generated text was highlighted when excerpts from the novel were tested by various verification tools. The InVID-WeVerify tool, co-created by AFP, indicated the passages were "very likely written by a human." However, seven other detectors provided conflicting results, with one suggesting a 100% probability of AI generation and others concluding the opposite.
"It Was Either That or Die" is written in the first person and follows the protagonist, Jonas Dorleon, a history and geography teacher fleeing gang violence in Haiti. The novel's exploration of immigration debates in Western countries, coupled with Orélien's own background, has garnered significant attention, including a profile in The New York Times in May.