Publisher Cuts Ties with Thelyson Orelien Over AI Use in Award-Nominated Novel

Boreal, the publisher of acclaimed Haitian-Canadian author Thelyson Orelien, has terminated their professional relationship with the writer following confirmation that artificial intelligence was utilized in the creation of his novel, “It Was Either That or Die”. The publisher initiated a deeper investigation in September after initial allegations surfaced regarding the novel's authorship. A statement released on Wednesday by Boreal confirmed that “new information, confirmed over the past few days, indicates that artificial intelligence was used in the writing process” of the book.

Orelien had previously refuted claims about his breakthrough novel, and last week, Boreal had expressed its continued support for the 38-year-old author. However, the publisher stated that the extent of AI's involvement remains unknown, and a definitive answer may never be reached. Boreal collected all manuscript drafts and commissioned an external analysis of the various versions. “The results obtained this week revealed traces of AI tags in the metadata of certain documents,” the publisher reported. Efforts to collaborate with Orelien to gather evidence proving his innocence were unsuccessful, with the author reportedly deciding not to provide further information.

The novel, originally titled “C’etait ca ou mourir” in French and focusing on themes of migration, was slated for translation in over 20 countries. France's prestigious Goncourt prize subsequently removed the book from its shortlist after AI detection software, Pangram, indicated a 100 percent probability of computer-generated text. Orelien, however, has described the accusations as “slander and heresy,” asserting in a statement to AFP that while he used research tools, particularly for foreign idioms, “not a single sentence in this book was created by a machine, nor the meaning or the structure of a story that comes from my gut.” He reiterated his stance to the French newspaper Liberation on Wednesday, explaining that AI was employed “in the creative process” for “historical research.” Orelien noted that he began writing the book in late 2017, prior to the widespread availability of AI services like ChatGPT. When the allegations first emerged in September, Orelien suggested that racism might be a motivating factor behind the attacks.