New French Prize Celebrates, Not Punishes, AI in Literature

After the last few years of authors and reading communities calling out the use of AI and large language models in the creation of literature, a new prize has emerged, not as a penalty, but as a recognition. The Prix Pascal de Littérature IA, launched last week, welcomes works that used any form of AI in their production.

It was created by Gilles Mentré, a professor at Harvard and the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne; Philippe Rodriguez, a founding partner of Avolta; and Albin Serviant, former chair of the LGBTQ+ magazine Têtu. The three designed the prize with Pascal's philosophies and values in mind, which is why all entries must center on a plot that addresses an "ethical, social, or ecological problem threatening humanity."

Per the official rules, all AI mechanisms,  from ChatGPT and Gemini to Claude and others, are permitted. The prize founders also state that the work must be fictional and unpublished, as one of the rewards is the promise of full publication. Entries must run between 10,000 and 50,000 words. First Post also reported that the initial prompt for AI may be no more than 100 words, and a technical account of the language model used must be submitted for tracking the generation process. Finally, while the work and author can come from anywhere in the world, the final entry must be submitted in French.

The prize is named after Blaise Pascal, the French mathematician and philosopher. At 19, he invented the Pascaline, the world's first mechanical calculating machine. Pascal also wrote the Pensées, a beloved French classic that Pope Francis has praised for its "philosophical depth and literary charm."

The Prix Pascal arrives at an interesting time, following controversies over authors using AI in submissions for other prestigious prizes such as the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, the Caine Prize, and the Prix Goncourt. It raises the question of whether this is a solution to separating those who choose to use AI in their craft from those who take the more traditional path. It offers similar recognition for outstanding writing, but with a clear distinction in place. With more awards like this, it may be likely that a shift will come. One where more authors and publishers are transparent and increase disclaimers about their use of AI.

Submissions are now open on the prize's website and will close at the end of November. As with all literary prizes, a shortlist of 10 will be announced in December, followed by a 5-member jury of critics, journalists, and likely philosophers, who will decide the winner. First Post has stated there’s talk of writer Jacques Attali possibly chairing the jury, with Alexandre Gefen of France's National Centre for Scientific Research joining the panel.

The winner of the prix will be announced as early as December or the beginning of next year. Overall, the award will assess a new generation of creativity and originality as we continue to move with AI instead of against it. The aim, as stated, is to encourage "the use of AI, connecting France's literary prize tradition with its artificial intelligence industry and evaluating the technology's creative capabilities."