The Exhaustion of Proof: Thélyson Orélien Abandons Effort to Debunk AI Allegations
AI-generated image · Bay Street Wire
After attempting to document the origins of his novel to counter claims of machine-generated prose, the Quebec author has ceased his efforts, highlighting the psychological strain of fighting an algorithmic accusation.
As first reported by CityNews Toronto, Quebec author Thélyson Orélien has abandoned his efforts to compile evidence proving that his novel, *C’était ça ou mourir* (translated as *It was either that or dying*), was written without the use of artificial intelligence.
The decision ends a process previously disclosed by his publisher, Éditions du Boréal, to document the manuscript's origins. In a statement released Tuesday, Orélien asserted he has "nothing to prove" to his accusers, though he maintains he began the work in 2017 and finished a first draft by 2019. Renaud Roussel, co-director of Éditions du Boréal, confirmed the decision was Orélien's own, noting the publisher would have preferred to provide "definitive answers."
The controversy has had professional repercussions; the novel was removed from consideration for France's Prix Goncourt earlier this month following AI allegations and separate claims of plagiarism regarding Orélien’s earlier works. Orélien apologized Tuesday for "unacceptable mistakes" made in his youth regarding previous plagiarism but denied that any sentence in the current novel was machine-generated.
While Éditions du Boréal suspended promotional activities in September due to concerns for the author's well-being, they continue to sell the book. The publisher noted that sales have slowed, though Claire-Hélène Lengellé of the Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec reported "exceptionally high" interest, with 1,713 digital reservations as of October 14.