A Trinidadian writer has come under scrutiny after winning a regional award for unpublished short fiction. Social media users accused Jamir Nazir of using artificial intelligence to create his entry.
In early May the Commonwealth Foundation announced five regional winners for its Short Story Prize. Nazir was one of the recipients. Users on social media pointed to the story's unusual phrasing and metaphors as evidence of AI involvement. One passage reads: “They called her Zoongie. Maybe it was a name; maybe rain took a shape and decided to keep it.” Razmi Farook, the foundation's director-general, stated that all contestants had confirmed they did not use AI and had made this attestation twice. The following day Farook told the Times that the organization might need to review whether its process remains robust enough.
