Nigerian Author Jerry Falade Loses $2m Publishing Deal Over AI Use Concerns
Nigerian author Jerry Falade has lost a publishing deal reportedly worth more than $2 million (about N2.7 billion) after concerns were raised over whether artificial intelligence (AI) was used in the creation or editing of his debut crime novel, Call Me, I’ll Hide the Body.
The novel, which was expected to be released in 2028, had generated significant attention in the publishing industry, with 14 publishing houses competing for the rights.
Macmillan U.S.’s Minotaur Books eventually secured a two-book deal believed to be worth over $2 million, while HarperCollins obtained the United Kingdom publishing rights.
However, the agreement fell apart after Falade’s literary agency, Europa Content, withdrew the manuscript, saying it could no longer confirm that AI was not involved in the writing process.
In a letter to publishers, the agency said it initially relied on Falade’s explanation that the book had been written and edited without AI assistance. However, it later stated that it could not verify how the manuscript developed from its early draft to the final version.
Marc Gerald of Europa Content, who managed the U.S. bidding process, said concerns about the manuscript were first raised by an editor. The agency later ended its relationship with Falade on July 29, claiming that parts of his explanation had changed over time.
Falade has strongly denied using AI to write the novel, insisting that the technology was only used for research purposes.
“I only used AI for research, and not for writing the book itself,” he said.
The author explained that he used an open-source AI model stored on his personal device to help research technical details needed for his crime story, including information about chemicals and American English expressions.
He said he chose the local AI tool because it did not store or share his search history, especially because some of his research questions involved sensitive crime-related topics.
Falade also said no publisher or editor questioned him about AI use during the acquisition process and that he never approved the use of AI detection tools to examine his manuscript.
He described the controversy surrounding AI detection as “very suspicious” and said he had hired legal representatives.
The author also argued that Black writers often face additional scrutiny when they achieve major success in the publishing industry.
In a series of Instagram posts, Falade said accusations against writers had shifted from plagiarism claims to AI-related allegations.
“If you’re a Person of Color and you secure a lucrative deal in history, someone, somewhere, will accuse you of using AI,” he wrote.
He cited the cases of Black American authors Mia Ballard and HM Wolfe, who also lost publishing deals earlier this year following similar controversies.
Maintaining his innocence, Falade wrote: “Definitely innocent!!! They CAN’T and WON’T stop this Black boy’s light from shining!!”
Macmillan confirmed that it had taken part in the bidding process for Call Me, I’ll Hide the Body but said the manuscript was later withdrawn by Falade’s agent. HarperCollins has not publicly commented on the status of its agreement.
Despite losing the deal, Falade said he remains committed to his writing career and is already working on another novel.
He added that he believes his next project will attract even greater attention when it is eventually released.
