Prix Goncourt Winner Philippe Jaenada Admits to Using Artificial Intelligence

French author Philippe Jaenada has admitted to using artificial intelligence while writing his award winning novel L'Inconnue du quai de Javel. The Guardian Books, The Guardian, and TechTimes reported that Jaenada made the admission during an interview on France Inter radio on Wednesday. His statement came barely a day after he received the Prix Goncourt, France's most prestigious literary award. [1][2][3][4]

Jaenada told France Inter radio that he turned to ChatGPT to play with the reader, according to The Guardian Books. The revelation comes immediately after the Goncourt jury threw out another book from its longlist over suspected artificial intelligence use and allegations of plagiarism. [1][4]

As FTMQ Books reported earlier, author Thélyson Orélien had his novel C'était ça ou mourir removed from consideration for the Prix Goncourt after his Quebec publisher, Éditions du Boréal, cut ties with him over evidence of generative artificial intelligence use. The novel was co-published by Éditions Grasset. [7]

The Prix Goncourt was established in 1903 following the provisions of the 1892 will of French novelist Edmond de Goncourt to honor his late brother Jules de Goncourt. The award is given by the Académie Goncourt for the best and most imaginative prose work of the year. Although the prize carries a symbolic reward of only 10 euros, it brings considerable public recognition and drives high book sales for the winning author. [5][6]