[Source: Reuters]

Haitian-Canadian author Thelyson Orelien rejected on Tuesday accusations that he used artificial intelligence to write his bestselling novel but admitted he had plagiarised in the past.

In a ​letter sent to Reuters and other media by his French publisher Grasset, ‌Orelien for the first time addressed in detail allegations that his award-winning novel published this year, “C’etait Ca ou Mourir” (“It Was Either That or Die”) was written using AI, as well as accusations of ​past plagiarism.

A little-known X account “Balance ton Claude” had said in September that an ​AI detection tool had shown the 2026 novel was written almost ⁠entirely by AI. French essayist Samuel Fitoussi later claimed ownership of the account, saying ​he managed it with other unidentified individuals.

Then, Canadian newspaper La Presse said that a 2012 ​short story by Orelien had plagiarized passages from a book by French author Louis Pauwels, while a 2013 opinion piece copied from The Philippine Star newspaper.

Orelien denied he used AI but acknowledged the ​past plagiarism, saying admiration for other writers did not justify presenting their work as ​his own and calling his actions “unacceptable mistakes.”

He said that “criticism is always legitimate, but the threats, media lynching, ‌and ⁠racist harassment I have been subjected to for weeks are unbearable”, adding that he wants his novel to be judged “for what it is”.

The allegations have ignited a debate about race, literary merit and originality that has roiled the French literary establishment.

“C’etait Ca ou Mourir” ​is the 37-year-old’s debut ​novel and tells ⁠the story of a Haitian migrant who travels north through Latin America before ending up in Canada.

It has won a host ​of literary awards, and was due to be translated into ​multiple languages.

“This ⁠novel, I wrote it myself. It comes from my wounds and those of other migrants. That wound of exile, from which one never heals.

This novel is its fruit; it is ⁠the ​fruit of my labor; it is my creation”, Orelien ​wrote in the letter.

Following the AI and plagiarism accusations, the organisers of the French Goncourt literary prize removed the ​book from their longlist.