Zimbabwean author Simbarashe Kundizeza has formally denied using artificial intelligence to compose his short story, "The Blue Fighter," which was awarded the $10,000 Caine Prize for African Writing last week. The author, who is currently facing scrutiny over his work, asserted that the story was entirely his own creation, inspired by his personal experiences and his family’s history during Zimbabwe’s years of economic turmoil.
The controversy emerged following a report in The Atlantic magazine, which claimed that the AI-detection tool Pangram indicated the entire story was AI-generated, with the exception of an excerpt from a poem by another author. In response to these claims, Kundizeza posted a denial on X late Tuesday and later spoke with The Associated Press, where he urged African writers and readers to challenge such accusations.
Kundizeza expressed concern that AI-detection technology may be inherently biased, stating, "There is need to use technology responsibly so that it is not deployed to create a bias against natives who seek to write about their own experiences and cultures." He added that he is not well-versed in these technologies but believes the bias against native writers is a significant issue that requires attention, noting that the treatment he has received is unlikely to stop without further scrutiny.
The author emphasized that his work, which centers on family relationships and economic hardship, underwent standard editorial processes. He also pushed back against critics who questioned his authorship based on stylistic differences from his previous writing. "As writers, we develop recurring interests, but we don’t produce work from a single fixed template. To suggest that a writer cannot write in different styles or genres, or improve his writing substantially after five or more years, fundamentally misunderstands the craft of writing," he wrote in his statement.
The Caine Prize organizers have confirmed that the award is currently under review. In a statement, they noted their responsibility to examine the AI claims. "We aim to do this by taking a human-centered approach, ensuring that writers are supported and cared for during the process. We have initiated that process in this case," the organizers said this week, though they have not retracted the prize.
The situation has drawn broader criticism from the literary community. The Radical Books Collective, an international group that organizes online book clubs and literary events, described the controversy as part of a recurring pattern. "The digital lynchings continue as Black authors are being targeted in AI/plagiarism scandals: Jamir Nazir, Jerry Falade, Thélyson Orélien and now Simbarashe Kundizeza," the collective posted. Conversely, Nhlandla Duba, a linguist from the University of Pretoria who researches Zimbabwean literature, defended the authenticity of the piece, stating on X, "That story sounds human. Zimbabwean literature is alive!"
“Aspects of the story, including characters and the setting, are drawn from events in my own life,” he said, describing it as “a deeply personal story about economic collapse and familial relationships.”
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