Hachette withdraws a novel accused of having been written with AI

Generative AI is also causing waves in the small world of publishing, and neither readers nor writers are very open to this technology widely considered in the industry as theft or cheating. However, it sometimes happens that certain "works" slip through the cracks, and this almost happened with "Shy Girl."

The edition caught by AI

Hachette was planning to launch this horror novel by Mia Ballard in the spring in the United States, following a notable initial release in the United Kingdom. But the launch was canceled after allegations that the text had been largely generated by AI. The decision came after an internal investigation prompted by reports, notably relayed by the New York Times. The book was removed from sales platforms, including Amazon, and will also not be kept in the UK, where it sold 1,800 copies.

"Hachette is committed to protecting original creative expression and narrative," said a spokesperson to the NYT. The publisher requires that all submitted manuscripts be original and asks authors to disclose if they used generative AI during the writing process. Mia Ballard claims she did not use artificial intelligence... but admits that a professional was engaged to edit the self-published version.

Reading the comments from readers of this version (available since February 2025), it appears that AI heavily modified the original text. The author cannot detail how AI was used in the book's editing due to an ongoing legal proceeding. In practice, it is impossible to prevent an author from using this technology; therefore, it is more than likely that other similar cases will emerge in the coming months.

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Source : NYT