Ethics and safety·October 3, 2026, 08:29
Author praised on French TV, then came plagiarism and AI accusations
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The Black author Thélyson Orélien was praised to the skies on France's biggest literary program. Now he is accused of plagiarism and possible use of AI, and the case has sparked debate about racism and whether it matters who writes a book.
On France's biggest literary program, everyone agreed. The work was called "great literature," a "marvel" and an "incredible book." In the middle of the studio sat the author Thélyson Orélien, receiving the praise.
Since then, the picture has changed. Orélien has been accused of plagiarism, that is, of taking other people's text and publishing it as his own. Suspicion has also been raised that an AI may have written parts of the book.
The case has grown into a larger debate. Some believe the accusations have something to do with racism, because Orélien is Black. Others believe it is about protecting literature.
The debate has also taken an unexpected turn in France: the question is whether it matters at all whether humans or machines write our books.
For readers, the case shows how hard it has become to know who or what is behind a text.
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