Award-winning Canadian-Haitian author Thélyson Orélien has denied allegations that artificial intelligence was used to write most of his migration novel, *C’était ça ou mourir* (*It Was Either That or Die*). The claims, posted by an anonymous X account, went viral and have prompted scrutiny because the book recently won the Prix du Roman Fnac and is being considered for the Goncourt and Renaudot prizes.

The account, which has fewer than 100 followers, alleged that Orélien used AI “almost entirely”; its post had been viewed more than three million times. Tests by AFP produced conflicting results: one tool judged the passages very likely human-written, while seven others gave differing assessments, highlighting the limits of AI-detection software. Orélien, who says the accusations are racially motivated, is compiling evidence with his publishers, while Montreal-based Boreal said its confidence in the novel remains intact. The first-person book follows a Haitian teacher fleeing gang violence across 12 countries to Canada, reflecting both migration debates and elements of Orélien’s own life.