A Quebec publishing house has severed ties with author Thélyson Orélien following allegations that he used artificial intelligence (AI) to write his debut novel, *C’était ça ou mourir* (It was either that or dying). Les Éditions du Boréal announced on Wednesday that an external investigation had uncovered metadata within several manuscript versions indicating the involvement of AI in the novel’s creation, prompting the publisher to halt any further printings or publications of Orélien’s work.

The controversy first surfaced in September when a social media user operating under the name “Balance ton Claude” claimed that text analysis via Pangram software revealed that large portions of Orélien’s book appeared to be generated “almost entirely by artificial intelligence.” The novel, which depicts the journey of a Haitian refugee to Quebec, draws on Orélien’s personal experience of leaving Haiti after the 2010 earthquake.

Initially, both Orélien and Les Éditions du Boréal sought to establish a thorough record to demonstrate that the novel had not been produced using AI. However, according to the publisher, the author later opted to discontinue this verification process. “While we do not, now or in the future, accept to play the role of investigator in relation to our authors, this extraordinary situation made it clear we could not simply leave matters as they were,” the publisher said in its statement.

The resulting investigation led the publisher to commission an independent analysis of the manuscript drafts, which reportedly revealed the presence of “AI markers.” Les Éditions du Boréal acknowledged that the precise extent of AI use remains unclear and may never be definitively determined. The publisher also reflected on broader implications, noting that the case underscored fundamental questions about the trust integral to author-publisher relationships. It added that its initial decision to publish was based on the novel’s emotional resonance and critical acclaim.

Orélien has denied allegations that AI was used to write the novel, stating that he began work on the manuscript in 2017 and completed a first draft in 2019. He did acknowledge employing AI tools solely for research purposes. In an October 13 press release, he described the situation as “cruel,” asserting that attributing his text to a machine not only challenges his identity as a writer but also his humanity.

Separately, Orélien admitted to plagiarism in some of his earlier work after reports surfaced highlighting textual similarities and near-identical passages between his writings and other published materials. He apologized for these “unacceptable mistakes” committed in his youth, while maintaining that no part of *C’était ça ou mourir* was machine-produced.

Before the allegations arose, the novel had received the Prix du Roman Fnac and garnered several nominations for major French literary prizes. Since the controversy, it has been withdrawn from the competition for France’s prestigious Prix Goncourt. Les Éditions du Boréal suspended promotional efforts for the book in September, citing concerns about the author’s well-being. Orélien did not respond to requests for further comment.