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Canada's top literary prizes say they depend on publishers to ensure awarded books were written by humans, while the Canada Council for the Arts is drafting a formal AI policy for the Governor General's Literary Awards.
Canada's top literary prizes say they largely rely on publishers to ensure the books they award were authored by humans, not artificial intelligence. The executive directors of the Writers' Trust and the Giller Foundation both say they have policies barring AI-written works from their awards.
Elana Rabinovitch, who runs the Giller Prize, says publishing houses work closely with their authors and are in a better position to determine whether they used generative AI than the awards organizations. The Canada Council for the Arts, which administers the Governor General's Literary Awards, says it is in the process of establishing a policy setting out clear expectations when it comes to AI in books it considers for the prizes.
Council Establishing AI Policy For Literary Prizes
Caroline Lussier, director of arts promotion for the Council, says the organization hopes the policy will be in place for the next competition cycle. The responses come as one of France's top literature prizes pulled a Canadian author's debut novel from its long list over allegations he wrote the book with generative AI, which he has denied.
The Académie Goncourt announced Friday that it had removed Orélien's novel, C'était ça ou mourir, which translates to It was either that or dying, from the running for the Prix Goncourt amid allegations that the book was written using artificial intelligence, and separate plagiarism allegations involving his earlier work. Lussier said the Council was already working on its policy before the controversy, and noted the organization has already published guidance on the use of AI in the projects it funds and in reviewing grant applications.
Orélien declined to provide comment to The Canadian Press on Friday, saying he was focusing on his health, but earlier this week vehemently denied using AI to write the novel. Elana Rabinovitch, the executive director of the Giller Prize, was photographed on stage during the awards ceremony in Toronto on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. The Giller Foundation and the Writers' Trust both maintain policies that bar AI-written works from their awards, placing responsibility on publishers to verify authorship.
Awards Organizations Rely On Publishers For AI Detection
The debate over AI in literature has intensified as generative AI tools become more capable of producing book-length text. Awards organizations in Canada say they lack the technical means to reliably detect AI-generated writing, making publishers the best line of defense. The Council's planned policy aims to set clear expectations for the Governor General's Literary Awards, which are among Canada's most prestigious literary honours. The policy is expected to be ready for the next competition cycle.
The French controversy has drawn international attention to the issue. The Prix Goncourt is one of France's most celebrated literary prizes, and the removal of a novel from its long list over AI allegations marks a significant moment for the publishing world. Orélien has publicly denied the allegations, saying he did not use AI to write the novel. He declined further comment on Friday, citing his health.
French Controversy Sparks International Attention On AI
The separate plagiarism allegations concern his earlier work. The Canadian Press reported that the Council had already published guidance on AI use in funded projects and grant applications before the Goncourt controversy. That guidance covers how the Council reviews applications and projects that involve AI tools. Canada's literary awards organizations say they will continue to rely on publishers to sniff out AI-written works.
Publishers work closely with authors through the writing and editing process, giving them insight that awards organizations do not have. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 25, 2026, with files by Charlotte Glorieux in Montreal. Nicole Thompson, The Canadian Press.
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CTVToronto:This story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
Entertainment Entertainment Arts Human Interest Science Giller Prize Governor General's Literary Awards Canada Council For The Arts Prix Goncourt AI-Written Books
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