Canadian publisher claims novelist used AI to write novel
Publisher says evidence shows AI use; author denies.
Key facts
- Publisher Boreal said it had tried to gather evidence of Orélien's innocence. (Le Monde)
- Boreal said the evidence gathering was inconclusive and Orélien would not provide further information. (Le Monde)
- Boreal confirmed that Orélien used AI to help write his novel It Was Either That or Die. (SCMP)
- Orélien denied using AI on his breakthrough novel. (SCMP)
- Boreal had previously stated it supported Orélien before conducting a further investigation. (SCMP)
On 22 October 2026, Canadian publisher Boreal announced that it had found evidence that Haitian‑Canadian novelist Thelyson Orélien used artificial intelligence to write his novel It Was Either That or Die. (SCMP)
According to Le Monde, Boreal had earlier tried to work with Orélien to gather evidence that could prove his innocence, but the effort was inconclusive. (Le Monde)
Boreal said that after the inconclusive investigation, Orélien announced he would not provide any further information. (Le Monde)
Orélien has denied the allegations, and Boreal had previously stated it was standing by the 38‑year‑old writer before the new investigation. (SCMP)
Context
The novel It Was Either That or Die is a top-selling work by Haitian‑Canadian writer Thelyson Orélien, published by Boreal. (SCMP) The controversy involves allegations that the author used artificial intelligence in the writing process. (SCMP)
How outlets headlined it
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