The Goncourt Academy has officially removed the novel 'C'etait Ca ou Mourir' by Haitian-Canadian author Talyson Aurelien from its preliminary selection list. The decision follows public allegations that the book was written using artificial intelligence. The author has denied these claims, which were initially raised by an X account known as 'Balance ton Claude'.
The accusations surfaced after the account claimed that the AI detection tool Pangram identified the text as being almost entirely machine-generated. However, experts have raised concerns regarding the reliability of such detection software. Following the AI controversy, reports also emerged alleging that Aurelien had plagiarized parts of his earlier works from 2012 and 2013.
The Goncourt Academy stated that its primary mission is to promote and honor literature created by human authors. By removing the book, the organization aims to protect its reputation and demonstrate a firm stance against the use of AI in creative writing. The Academy plans to release its short list on October 6 and will refrain from further comments until then.
The novel 'C'etait Ca ou Mourir' is Aurelien's first full-length book. It chronicles the journey of a Haitian immigrant traveling through Latin America to reach Canada. Despite the current controversy, the work had previously received several literary awards and was scheduled for translation into multiple languages.
