Jamir Nazir has won the Commonwealth Short Story Prize for his entry "The Serpent in the Grove." He was one of three finalists previously accused of using Artificial Intelligence in their work.
Accusations against Nazir and the other finalists surfaced online in May after the Commonwealth Foundation announced the regional winners. Critics cited what they described as markers of AI-generated text in the stories.
Granta Magazine, which had published the winning stories for more than a decade, ended its partnership with the prize over concerns about editorial integrity. The Commonwealth Foundation later cleared Nazir and the other finalists following a month-long investigation that did not use AI-detection software.
Nazir has not commented on the allegations. A short film released by the foundation features him discussing his inspiration and writing process. The winning story and the other regional entries are available to read at Granta.
