MONTREAL — Quebec author Thélyson Orélien has halted his efforts to compile evidence advocating against allegations that artificial intelligence (AI) was involved in writing his novel. This confirmation comes from his publisher, Éditions du Boréal, amidst ongoing debates regarding the authorship of the book titled “C’était ça ou mourir,” which translates to “It was either that or dying.” The decision leaves unresolved questions surrounding the potential use of AI in the writing process, although the publisher continues to sell the book.

In a recent email to The Canadian Press, Renaud Roussel, co-director of Éditions du Boréal, confirmed Orélien’s decision to terminate the evidence-gathering initiative. Roussel stated, “The publishing house supported him in this process, which he chose to end. That decision is his to make, and we accept it, although we certainly would have preferred to be able to provide definitive answers to the allegations of AI use against him.” Orélien has not yet commented on his choice to cease the evidence-collection efforts.

Back in September, Éditions du Boréal had publicly announced its collaboration with Orélien to document the manuscript's development prior to its submission. The author had previously indicated to the French media outlet Libération that he was working alongside his publishers in both France and Quebec to gather evidence in support of his account regarding the novel's creation.

Clarifying the nature of the collaboration, Roussel emphasized that the initiative originated from Orélien himself, rather than the publisher, which merely supported him during the process. Although the publisher maintains its stance regarding the controversy, it confirmed that book sales have seen a downturn since the allegations arose, without specifying exact figures.

Despite the controversy, the novel remains available in bookstores. However, Boréal noted that it is currently out of stock at the publishing house, with an anticipated new printing scheduled for next week. Floriane Claveau, a spokesperson for the prominent Quebec bookstore chain Renaud-Bray, reported that the retailer had not observed any significant shifts in sales for the novel over the past few weeks.

Interestingly, interest in the novel at the Montreal-based Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec has been exceptionally high, with 1,713 reservations for its digital edition via the online lending service as of October 14. Spokesperson Claire-Hélène Lengellé noted that the demand has remained robust for several weeks.

In a statement issued by Éditions du Boréal, it was mentioned that Orélien’s manuscript was received on September 12, 2025, and that the publishing house was unable to independently verify the manuscript’s writing process before that date. Boréal maintained that its role was not to demand proof from authors but to support them, allowing readers to make their purchase decisions.

Meanwhile, Orélien has openly stated, through a release from Boréal on Tuesday, that he has nothing to prove to those levying accusations against him. He has consistently denied the use of AI in the novel's creation, asserting that he began working on it in 2017 and had a first draft exceeding 300 pages completed by 2019.

The ongoing controversy has led to further repercussions for Orélien, as his novel was withdrawn from consideration for France’s esteemed Prix Goncourt earlier this month due to the allegations surrounding potential AI involvement, alongside separate plagiarism claims tied to his prior works. In his statement, Orélien acknowledged past plagiarism in some of his earlier writings, apologizing for what he termed as “unacceptable mistakes” made in his youth, while insisting that no sentence in his current novel has been generated by a machine.

Consequently, Boréal had suspended promotional activities linked to the novel in September, citing concerns for Orélien's well-being. Despite the unresolved nature of the AI allegations, the publisher confirmed on Wednesday that it would continue to sell the novel.