Philippe Jaenada reveals AI use in Goncourt-winning novel
The novelist described three uses of the technology, including a sentence supplied by ChatGPT, prompting mixed reactions on social media.
French novelist Philippe Jaenada said in a radio interview that artificial intelligence had played a part on three occasions in the writing of his Goncourt-winning book. The disclosure by the 62-year-old came less than a day after his award.
One use was a ChatGPT-written sentence, which Jaenada said he inserted to tease his readers. He identified it for the Goncourt jury on Tuesday. He also described using the technology to ridicule ChatGPT’s responses to a technical query, but offered no further explanation. Technical research was the third use he cited.
Jaenada argued that authors should recognise AI’s existence and make it useful while resisting replacement by it. Social media responses were divided: some users saw the technology becoming as commonplace as spellchecking, while others objected that authors should create their work independently.
The prize recognised L'Inconnue du quai de Javel, his novel investigating an unresolved murder in late-1940s Paris involving a young woman. The previous Goncourt winner was Laurent Mauvignier, who received the award in 2025.
