Académie Goncourt Removes Novel from Prize Longlist Amid AI Allegations

The Paris-based literary organization announced the withdrawal on Friday, emphasizing its commitment to preserving the integrity of the Goncourt prize, which honors literature by both men and women. Orélien's novel, published by Grasset in August, has gained critical acclaim, selling approximately 35,000 copies and winning the Prix du roman Fnac, with translation rights sold in over 20 countries. The story recounts a teacher's harrowing escape from gang violence in Haiti, highlighting his journey across 12 countries before settling in Canada.

Allegations regarding AI involvement were made on X (formerly Twitter) on September 21, coinciding with the Fnac prize announcement. An anonymous account called Balance ton Claude, referring to an AI agent, claimed it analyzed the text with detection software Pangram and found a significant portion to be AI-generated. However, other detection programs indicated a strong probability that the book was authored by a human.

Orélien has denied the claims, which he suggests may be racially motivated. He expressed his passion for writing and affirmed that he uses traditional Caribbean themes and rhythms in his work.

The anonymous account's creator has been identified as Samuel Fitoussi, a columnist for *Le Figaro*. Fitoussi, who expressed concerns about AI's potential impact on reading and writing, initiated the campaign despite being generally optimistic about technology.

Philippe Claudel, president of the Académie Goncourt, previously called for caution regarding the allegations. However, further plagiarism claims reportedly influenced the academy’s decision. An article in *Libération* suggested that Orélien had plagiarized from a short story in a past publication by journalist Louis Pauwels.

The academy cited past plagiarisms and findings from researchers and journalists suggesting the book is largely AI-generated. They stated their intention to send a clear message against AI-generated texts.

Orélien’s Canadian publisher, Le Éditions du Boréal, commented on the allegations, stating they could not confirm or deny them at this time but emphasized the importance of not jumping to conclusions. They expressed concern about the plagiarism claims while urging restraint regarding personal attacks on the author.

Orélien has decided not to make additional comments on the allegations, stating his intention to step back as tensions unfold. The Goncourt academy is set to announce its shortlist on October 6 and reveal the prize winner on November 4.