The Quebec-based author Thélyson Orélien has stopped his attempt to provide evidence that artificial intelligence was not used to write his novel , C'était ça ou mourir. His publisher, Éditions du Boréal, confirmed the decision as the book faces declining sales and a temporary stock shortage.
The Prix Goncourt disqualification and the shadow of past plagiarism
The removal of C'était ça ou mourir from the Prix Goncourt running earlier this month represents a significant blow to Orélien’s literary standing.. As one of the most prestigious awards in the French-speaking world, the Prix Goncourt carries immense cultural weight, and its loss signals a profound loss of institutional trust. This situation is particularly volatile because the AI allegations do not exist in a vacuum; they follow Orélien's own admissions regarding plagiarism in his earlier writings.
The overlap between the AI allegations and the previously acknowledged plagiarism has created a complex narrative for the author. For critics, the admission of past plagiarism makes the refusal to provide evidence against AI use appear more like a tactical retreat than a simple change of heart. This intersection of past admitted dishonesty and current unproven technological fraud has created a credibility gap that is difficult to bridge.
Éditions du Boréal reports slowing sales for "C'était ça ou mourir"
Éditions du Boréal has reported that sales for the novel have slowed noticeably since the controversy began. While the publisher has declined to release specific figures detailing the exact percentage of the decline , the commercial impact is evident. The novel is currently out of stock at the publishing house's own facilities, though a new printinng is scheduled for release next week to satisfy the demand remaining in bookstores. While the book remains available in various locations, the lack of immediate stock at the publisher's wareehouse creates a logistical hurdle for those looking to support the author during this period of controversy.
The end of the September evidence-gathering process
The end of the evidence-gathering process marks the conclusion of a strategy that Éditions du Boréal had publicly committed to in September. The publisher had been actively supporting Orélien in his attempt to compile a dossier of proof to debunk the claims of AI usage. According to the report, the publisher would have preferred to provide "definitive answers" to the public to resolve the matter once and for all . However,they have stated they respect Orélien's ultimate decision to stop the compilation of evidence.
The unverified claims surrounding "C'était ça ou mourir"
The fundamental question of whether artificial intelligence played a role in the creation of C'était ça ou mourir remains unanswered. Without the evidence Orélien was attempting to gather, the allegations of AI-assisted writing remain unverified and unrefuted. This leaves the literary community in a state of limbo, where the author's consistent denials are met with a lack of corroborating documentation.. As the debate over generative AI in creative industries intensifies, this unresolved case serves as a flashpoint for how authorship is verified in the modern era.
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