Boréal cuts ties with Orélien after finding AI metadata in novel drafts
Canadian publisher Les Éditions du Boréal has ended its professional relationship with Haitian Canadian novelist Thélyson Orélien after an investigation found signs that AI was used in his novel, *C’était ça ou mourir* (*It Was Either That or Die*). The decision follows Orélien’s removal from the Prix Goncourt shortlist last month and raises questions about the evidence and limits of AI detection in literary work.
Boréal said an outside analysis of the novel’s drafts found AI tags in the metadata of some documents, but it could not establish how much AI contributed. The book had been due for translation in more than 20 countries, and the AI detector Pangram had earlier assessed it as containing computer-generated text with 100% probability. Orélien denies that a machine wrote any sentences, while saying he used AI for historical research; he says he began the book in 2017 and completed a first draft in 2019.
In short
- Boréal ends its relationship with Orélien over AI use.
- Draft metadata contained AI tags, but the extent is unknown.
- Orélien denies machine-written sentences and says AI aided research.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A publisher can reasonably see AI metadata in draft documents, alongside a detector’s assessment, as grounds to question whether the manuscript meets its standards for authorship and disclosure. Ending the relationship may protect readers’ trust and uphold clear expectations for a book whose publication and translation carry significant commercial and reputational stakes.
The case against
Metadata and detector results do not establish how much AI contributed or whether it wrote any of the novel’s sentences, so they may be insufficient grounds for a decisive professional penalty. Orélien says he used AI for historical research and denies machine authorship; a fair response could require clearer evidence and an opportunity to explain the drafting process before ending the relationship.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Canadian publisher Boréal ends relationship with novelist Thélyson Orélien over alleged use of AI”.