View noticesAI authorship concerns derail multi-million-dollar crime novel deal
A crime novel that attracted multi-million-dollar publishing offers in the United States and the United Kingdom has been withdrawn from sale after questions emerged over the possible use of artificial intelligence in its creation.
According to The Bookseller, the unpublished darkly comic crime thriller had secured a two-book offer worth more than US$2 million from Minotaur, an imprint of St Martin's Press owned by Macmillan in the US, with plans to publish it as a flagship title in 2028.
The publication reported that the manuscript also sparked a 14-way auction in the US, brokered by literary agent Marc Gerald of Europa Content, while UK agent Sandy Hodgman of Hodgman Literary received multiple six-figure offers following a competitive auction among British publishers.
Gerald reportedly received the manuscript in June after winning representation of the author in a 10-way contest between literary agencies. He told The Bookseller that the manuscript had generated widespread enthusiasm among publishers because of its broad commercial appeal.
However, midway through the submission process an editor raised concerns that parts of the manuscript appeared to show signs of AI involvement. Gerald said the agency conducted an extensive review with the author, discussing the responsibilities associated with authorship, before deciding to continue the submission process.
According to Gerald, Europa Content chose not to use AI-detection software because the author had provided what the agency considered credible assurances that the work had not relied on artificial intelligence. He also questioned the reliability of current AI-detection technology.
The position changed following a meeting with the author on 29 July, when, according to Gerald, elements of the author's account of the manuscript's development changed. He said the agency subsequently terminated its relationship with the author because it could no longer have complete confidence in the work's provenance.
Gerald acknowledged to The Bookseller that the episode had created significant controversy within the publishing industry. While describing the manuscript as exceptional, he said the uncertainty surrounding its development made it impossible for the agency to continue representing it.
In a joint email sent to publishers on 30 July, Europa Content and Hodgman Literary withdrew the manuscript from auction. The agents explained that although they had initially accepted the author's assurances that AI had not been used in writing or editing the novel, they could no longer verify how the manuscript evolved from its original concept to its completed form. They apologised to publishing partners and said the incident raised broader questions about authorship and the future role of artificial intelligence in publishing.
The author disputed the decision, telling The Bookseller that the story, characters, structure, humour and narrative voice were entirely original. The author said time-stamped drafts, handwritten notes and dated WhatsApp messages documented the novel's development.
The author also challenged the reliability of AI-detection software, claiming tests conducted on books published years before the widespread availability of generative AI had incorrectly identified them as being overwhelmingly AI-generated. According to the author, speculation surrounding the manuscript resulted in the loss of publishing, translation and screen adaptation opportunities within hours, without an adequate opportunity to explain the writing process.
An editor who bid for the novel, speaking anonymously to The Bookseller, said neither they nor colleagues in editorial, sales, marketing and publicity had identified anything suggesting the manuscript had been generated or substantially assisted by AI. The editor argued that the incident highlighted unresolved questions over who should determine whether a work is AI-assisted, whether current detection tools are sufficiently accurate, and the ethical implications of uploading unpublished manuscripts to AI-based detection systems.
The case is expected to intensify debate within the publishing industry over how authorship should be verified as generative AI becomes increasingly sophisticated.
SOURCE: The Bookseller