Nigerian author Jerry Falade accused of using AI to secure $2 million book deal

Nigerian author Jerry Falade has lost a publishing deal worth over $2 million after suspicions arose that he used AI in writing his crime novel, “Call Me, I’ll Hide the Body,” according to Peoples Gazette.

His agents withdrew the manuscript, saying they could no longer verify how it was written, despite fourteen publishing houses bidding for it. Falade denied using AI, alleging Black authors face disproportionate scrutiny when their work attracts attention. He cited white writers who openly use AI without facing similar consequences. Two other Black authors reportedly lost deals over similar claims this year.