Quebec author admits past plagiarism, denies AI use in novel
Quebec author Thélyson Orélien is admitting he plagiarized other writers in his earlier work, but maintains he didn't use artificial intelligence to write his acclaimed novel.
In a statement released by his publisher, Éditions du Boréal, Orélien apologized for making what he described as unacceptable mistakes in his youth.
He also rejected allegations that his novel, C’était ça ou mourir, was written using AI.
Orélien says he began writing the novel in 2017 and finished writing the first draft in 2019.
He says no sentence in the book was generated by a machine.
The statement comes after allegations surfaced in October about the novel’s possible use of AI and plagiarism in Orélien’s earlier writings.
The prestigious French literature prize, the Académie Goncourt, subsequently removed the novel from its selection while Boréal suspended promotional activities surrounding the book.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 13, 2026.
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