France's Goncourt prize drops novel over claims AI wrote it

The Académie Goncourt removed Thélyson Orélien's novel C'était ça ou mourir from the first selection for France's top literary prize, citing plagiarism and analyses suggesting AI largely wrote the book. Orélien denies using AI and calls the allegation racially motivated.

• Novel dropped from the first Goncourt selection
• Academy cited plagiarism and analyses pointing to AI authorship
• The book has sold about 35,000 copies
• Publishers in over 20 countries bought translation rights