This week, the Prix Pascal de Littérature IA has been launched, inviting submissions for manuscripts co-written with AI tools. The winner will receive a publication deal. Contestants are required to submit unpublished manuscripts ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 words, along with details about the AI model and prompt used in the writing process. Acceptable AI models include ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and LLaMA, and entries must be submitted in French, though participants can be based anywhere.
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Named after the French polymath Blaise Pascal, known for his contributions to early mechanical calculators and for his theological writings like Pensées, which was lauded by Pope Francis for its depth, the prize aims to promote works of fiction while also addressing pressing ethical, social, or ecological issues facing humanity.
The prize was established by technology entrepreneurs Philippe Rodriguez, Albin Serviant, and Gilles Mentré. Rodriguez is noted as a founding partner at Avolta, a mergers and acquisitions advisory firm, recognized as a leader in the European crypto and blockchain sectors. Serviant has a background in digital media and previously chaired the LGBTQ+ magazine Têtu. Mentré holds a PhD in philosophy, has taught at Harvard and the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, and co-founded the online voting platform Electis.
The prize's introduction follows discussions surrounding the potential use of AI by finalists and winners in various literary awards this year, such as the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, the Caine Prize, and France’s Prix Goncourt. Applications for the Prix Pascal opened on Tuesday and will close at the end of November. A shortlist of ten manuscripts will be announced, with the winner revealed in early December. The jury will consist of five or six professionals, including writers, critics, journalists, philosophers, and publishers, with members to be announced in early November.