Commonwealth Prize – A Caribbean writer from Trinidad and Tobago, Jamir Nazir, won a regional Commonwealth Short Story Prize in May. But after his publisher asked an AI chatbot whether his prize-winning story used artificial intelligence, the allegations—and the silence around his
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad — The story that earned Jamir Nazir a place among the regional winners of the 2026 Commonwealth Short Story Prize now sits at the center of a growing fight over authorship and technology.
Granta. a London-based publisher that oversees the prize’s related outlets. said it asked an AI chatbot named Claude whether artificial intelligence was used to write “The Serpent in the Grove.” Claude’s lengthy response concluded it was “almost certainly not produced unaided by a human.” The statement has fueled a fast-moving wave of doubt about the Trinidad-and-Tobago writer’s work.
Nazir was one of five writers named regional winners on May 14 for the prestigious prize. awarded by the London-based Commonwealth Foundation. The final winner will be announced in June. Judges praised Nazir’s language, describing it as “sublime — precise yet richly evocative — conjuring vivid, lush imagery with remarkable economy.”.
The story remains on the Commonwealth Foundation’s website. Set in rural Trinidad, “The Serpent in the Grove” centers on a magical grove. But as questions spread, scrutiny widened beyond the praise. Some readers began dissecting passages. pointing to lines including “the roof talks back in a dry moan” and the “air clung thick as porridge skin.”.
The publisher’s handling has not settled the dispute. In a statement shared with The Associated Press on Friday. Sigrid Rausing. the publisher of Granta magazine and books. wrote that she and others “don’t yet know” whether the judges have “awarded a prize to an instance of AI plagiarism. ” and “perhaps we never will know.” Rausing said there is “a certain irony” in that. “beyond human hunches AI itself is the most efficient tool we have for revealing what is AI generated.” She added that the story will remain on the Commonwealth Foundation’s site until the Commonwealth Foundation “comes to a definite conclusion.”.
Granta issued its own statement saying it is “alarmed by the speculation.” It also said Granta editors were not involved in the stories or their selection beyond copy editing them.
Nazir could not be reached for comment, and the publisher did not share his contact information despite repeated requests. That lack of response has sharpened the tension, especially after other authors accused of using AI have spoken publicly.
The controversy comes months after another literary upheaval: Hachette Book Group canceled an upcoming horror novel after allegations that the author used artificial intelligence to write it.
Now, the Commonwealth Foundation is moving to review the allegations. On Friday. Razmi Farook. director-general of the Commonwealth Foundation. said in a statement that it is taking seriously claims of AI use involving several of the writers who won this year’s prize. Farook wrote that “through a full review” the foundation will make sure that the appropriate steps are taken so its judging process can meet what he called “the growing threat that AI poses to creativity.” He added. “We understand that the use of AI is the single biggest issue facing much of the creative world. ” and while it welcomes “constructive debate” it is “deeply concerned by the tone of much of the discourse surrounding it.”.
Even as the foundation reviews the case, the online discussion continues to expand. On Facebook. a page belonging to a person named Jamir Nazir contains poems and reflections. and the latest post is a repost of the foundation declaring Nazir a winner. People scrutinizing the case have noted that the picture on the supposed Facebook page does not match Nazir’s picture on the Commonwealth Foundation’s website.
Nazir’s name also appears tied to a book listed for sale on Amazon: “Night Moon Love: Poems For All Those Who Have Loved Or Dreamed Of Love.” But beyond that, the writer’s public presence appears limited.
In a blurb under his author bio on the Commonwealth Foundation’s website, Nazir wrote: “‘I hope readers walk away reflecting on the quiet consequences of choices we normalize. Beyond the story’s tension, it’s that deeper moral examination that I hope lingers.’”
For now, the story stays up. The review continues. And the question that follows Nazir’s work—whether it was shaped with AI help, and how much doubt is acceptable when prizes reward craft—remains unresolved.
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