Black author Jerry Falade has publicly stated that allegations of using artificial intelligence to write his debut novel are racist, following the withdrawal of support from his literary agent and the subsequent doubt cast on his lucrative publishing deal. The claims have jeopardized a two-book contract worth more than $2 million, which was secured after a 14-publisher bidding war for the rights to his crime novel, 'Call Me, I'll Hide the Body.'
Falade, a graduate student at Southern Methodist University, has vehemently denied using AI to generate the manuscript. He stated in Instagram posts that he only employed the technology for research purposes, such as looking up specific chemicals for dissolving a human body and American English terminology. He explained his decision to run an open-source AI model locally on his device was to prevent searches related to violent crimes from being stored by online services.
"Definitely innocent!!!" Falade declared in one post. He questioned how his unpublished manuscript was subjected to AI detection software without his consent and suggested that unspecified parties may have leaked his work and sought to benefit from the controversy. Falade has reportedly retained legal counsel.
To bolster his claims, Falade shared an email he said was from a German professor in May 2021, praising an earlier manuscript and predating the widespread availability of generative AI. He also posted personal messages describing writing as a lifelong passion, dating back to 2017, and asserting that 'Call Me, I'll Hide the Body' is entirely his own work.
Falade drew parallels between his situation and the historical scrutiny faced by Black writers, referencing 18th-century poet Phillis Wheatley, who had to prove she authored her own work. He argued that while white authors may openly discuss using AI, Black writers face severe consequences for similar accusations, which can dismantle their careers. "They CAN'T and WON'T stop this Black boy's light from shining!!" he stated, accusing media coverage of contributing to the unfolding situation.
Other creators have voiced support for Falade, with some arguing that authors of color are disproportionately targeted by AI accusations. Book creator Tzeyi Koay pointed to Falade, Mia Ballard, and HM Wolfe as recent examples, contrasting their experiences with that of bestselling author James Frey, who has publicly acknowledged using AI in his writing without facing similar backlash.
A spokeswoman for Macmillan, an imprint of which was set to publish the book in the U.S., confirmed that the publisher participated in the auction but that "the agent ultimately pulled the book." Neither Macmillan nor HarperCollins, which acquired the UK rights, have commented on the current status of their agreements with Falade. Despite the challenges, Falade indicated he is already working on a new novel.