In a dramatic twist, an emerging black author has spoken out as accusations that he employed artificial intelligence to pen his debut novel have threatened to unravel his $2 million publishing contract. He asserts that the claims are tainted with racial bias.
Jerry Falade, who is furthering his studies at Southern Methodist University, took to Instagram with an array of posts defending himself amid accusations that jeopardized the success of his first book, “Call Me, I’ll Hide the Body.”
The Wall Street Journal reported that an intense competition unfolded among 14 publishers striving to claim the U.S. rights to this crime novel. Ultimately, Minotaur Books, a division under the Macmillan umbrella, clinched the deal, securing a two-book agreement that soared beyond the $2 million mark.
In an impressive stride for a newcomer in the literary arena, HarperCollins successfully bagged the UK rights to the novel.
However, the triumph was soon overshadowed after news of the deals went public. Falade’s literary agent, Marc Gerald, representing Europa Content, recanted his support, stirring concerns among publishers regarding the potential utilization of AI in the book’s creation.
Now, Falade has fought back against the accusations, saying: ‘Definitely innocent!!!’
In another post, he added: ‘They CAN’T and WON’T stop this Black boy’s light from shining!!’
The writer also denied that AI wrote his manuscript, saying he used the technology only to research details for the crime novel.
Jerry Falade has broken his silence after allegations he used AI to write his debut novel threw his multimillion-dollar publishing deal into doubt
Falade denied using AI to write Call Me, I’ll Hide the Body, insisting he only used the technology to research details for the crime novel
Falade told the Journal that he used an open-source AI model running on his own device to look up information such as chemicals that could dissolve a human body and American English terminology, but said the software was never used to write the book itself.
He said he chose to run the model locally because he was researching violent crimes and did not want those searches stored by online services.
The author also questioned how his unpublished manuscript ended up being examined by AI-detection software.
‘I never consented to anyone running my creative work through AI detection software,’ he wrote in one Instagram Story.
In another, he asked: ‘Who leaked my manuscript? Who ran it through AI-detection software? And who has the most to gain from everything that’s happening?’
Falade said he has retained legal counsel.
Seeking to prove he had been writing long before generative AI became widely available, Falade also shared what he described as a May 2021 email from a German professor praising one of his earlier manuscripts.
The email appeared to show the professor telling Falade he had become engrossed in the novel after reading hundreds of pages and praising its insight into cybercrime and modern society.
‘A note from a German professor who read one of my manuscripts five years ago. Before any “AI”,’ Falade wrote alongside the screenshot.
The graduate student also posted a series of personal messages describing writing as his lifelong passion.
Falade shared what he said was a 2021 email praising one of his earlier manuscripts, arguing it showed he had been writing long before generative AI became mainstream
‘I’m just a boy in my 20’s. All I do is drink Coke and mind my business. I don’t understand why anyone is witch-hunting me,’ he wrote.
‘I feel happy… I write. I feel sad… I write.’
‘Writing has always been my escape route since 2017. Call Me, I’ll Hide the Body is my work.’
In another post, he said: ‘Lock me in an empty room for a week. Give me 12 bottles of Coke, a typewriter, and Ayra Starr on Spotify, and I’ll write a freakin’ banger.’
Falade also argued that the accusations reflected a long history of Black writers having to defend their work.
He reposted information about 18th-century poet Phillis Wheatley, who was forced to prove she had written her own poetry, before drawing parallels with his own experience.
‘Eighteenth century: People of Color who wrote books were forced to sit before committees of white men and answer questions to prove they had written their own work,’ one post read.
‘Later, whenever a Person of Color wrote something good, we were accused of plagiarism.’
‘2026: If you’re a Person of Color and you secure a lucrative deal in history, someone, somewhere, will accuse you of using AI.’
The aspiring author accused critics of targeting him because he is Black, writing on Instagram that he is ‘definitely innocent’
The graduate student landed a two-book deal worth more than $2million after a 14-way bidding war before his former agent withdrew support for the novel
He added that while ‘white authors brag about using AI all the time,’ allegations against Black writers could cause ‘your entire life’ to fall apart.
Falade also took aim at the media coverage surrounding the controversy.
‘To the reporter who was so desperate for a headline that they helped set this whole nightmare into motion: I hope you sleep well at night knowing the damage you have done to a young man’s life,’ he wrote.
Falade’s posts quickly drew support from other authors and book creators, some of whom argued the allegations reflected a broader pattern of Black writers being accused of using AI.
Book creator Tzeyi Koay, who said she had been in direct contact with Falade, argued in an Instagram Reel that authors of color were being disproportionately targeted by AI accusations.
She cited Falade, Mia Ballard and HM Wolfe as recent examples and questioned why bestselling author James Frey, who has publicly discussed using AI in his work, had not faced the same scrutiny.
‘Jerry Falade is a victim of a system that has failed him and has nothing to be ashamed of,’ she wrote in the caption accompanying the video.
A spokeswoman for Macmillan told the newspaper that the publisher had participated in the auction but that ‘the agent ultimately pulled the book.’ Neither Macmillan nor HarperCollins commented on the current status of their agreements with Falade.
Despite the fallout, Falade said he was already working on another novel.
‘If y’all think Call Me, I’ll Hide the Body is the hottest book in recent years, just wait until you read my new project,’ he wrote.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Falade for comment.
