💼 Boréal publisher terminates contract with author over AI traces
An external review found AI markers in the metadata of drafts for Thelyson Orién's debut novel 'C'était ça ou mourir'. On October 21, the publisher declined to reissue the book or publish future works by the author, while the Goncourt Prize had previously removed the novel from its shortlist.
🌍 Detectors disagree: Pangram showed 100% machine-generated text, while others indicated human authorship. Publishers now need verification methods more reliable than disputed detectors.
👤 Orién denies AI use in his prose: he began writing the book in 2017, before ChatGPT. For authors, working files have become a vulnerable area, and detectors are unreliable evidence.
Source 1: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2026/oct/22/canadian-publisher-boreal-ends-relationship-author-thelyson-orelien-over-ai Source 2: https://www.ksl.com/article/51639270/canadian-publisher-says-thelyson-orelien-used-ai-to-write-award-winning-book-ends-relationship