The US release of a horror novel has been cancelled by its publisher over concerns that AI was used to help write it.
'Shy Girl' by US author Mia Ballard had been scheduled for publication in the US next month, but that will no longer go ahead, publisher Hachette said. The UK version, which was released in November, will also be discontinued.
A spokesperson for Hachette informed BBC News that the company remains committed to protecting original creative expression and storytelling.
Ballard, who sold almost 2,000 copies of the book in the UK, has denied using AI to write the book, explaining to the New York Times that an acquaintance she hired to edit the original self-published version of the novel had used AI.
She said, This controversy has changed my life in many ways, and my mental health is at an all-time low, and my name is ruined for something I didn't even personally do, noting that she is pursuing legal action.
The New York Times reported that this incident appears to be the first commercial novel from a major publishing house to be pulled due to evidence of AI use.
Originally self-published last February, 'Shy Girl' was described in its promotional material as a buzzy BookTok sensation and a harrowing tale of survival and revenge.
However, some readers expressed skepticism, with comments on GoodReads suggesting the book resembled an AI creation due to its formatting and repetitive language.
Hachette reiterated its commitment to originality, stating that neither its imprints in the US nor the UK would publish 'Shy Girl' in the future.
