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Uproar in France over award-winning author accused of using AI

36 points · 87 comments · harscoat

  1. aswegs8 · · focus · HN ↗
    What's the big deal? If the book is good, it is an excellent use of AI.
    1. cryptonym · · focus · HN ↗
      Like it or not, people expect significant AI-use to be disclosed. When only human is credited, they feel cheated.

      Excellent use of AI? Disclose it and avoid the fuss.

      1. skeledrew · · focus · HN ↗
        Do you disclose the use of a typewriter? Or word processor app with auto-complete and spelling/usage checkers?
        1. cryptonym · · focus · HN ↗
          No because people don't care. Basically you have to deal with the expectations of your readers when you try to sell a book.
          1. skeledrew · · focus · HN ↗
            Sure, and expectations were met here by the readers[0]. Otherwise there would have been no award in the first place. It's just this random group with an axe to grind that's trying to stir up trouble.

            [0] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;fr.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Prix_du_roman_Fnac" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;fr.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Prix_du_roman_Fnac

            1. cryptonym · · focus · HN ↗
              It got banned from Goncourt. Looks like not disclosing AI-use didn&#x27;t met expectations.

              You are free to read and like it, but you do not get to dictate what other people should or should not expect. Artificial ghostwriter is not really Goncourt-ish.

              1. skeledrew · · focus · HN ↗
                You&#x27;re missing 2 key bits of context: the when and the stated reason. Goncourt had the novel on their long list until this accusation surfaced, and explicitly stated that they removed it not because they found the content lacking after all (which would be a strange retrospective), but because they &quot;had taken note of the AI and plagiarism accusations&quot;[0] and acted thus. Goncourt has no idea if the novel was primarily done by AI or not, but they&#x27;re going with the narrative because they have their brand to protect. Heck even the mud-slinging group had to use a tool, because they have no idea otherwise. And there&#x27;s still not 100% certitude; all they have is a &quot;very likely&quot;, but their narrative took like a flame to a dry forest because of the current AI controversy.

                [0] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;edition.cnn.com&#x2F;2026&#x2F;09&#x2F;26&#x2F;europe&#x2F;frances-goncourt-prize-author-ai" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;edition.cnn.com&#x2F;2026&#x2F;09&#x2F;26&#x2F;europe&#x2F;frances-goncourt-p...

                1. [deleted] · · focus · HN ↗

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