A prize-winning story published in Granta was (very likely) written by AI
lithub.com – Tuesday May 19, 2026

It’s another grim day at the human factory. There is strong evidence to suggest that a prize-winning short story published this week in celebrated literary magazine Granta was entirely generated by AI.
Jamir Nazir’s “The Serpent in the Grove,” was published in Granta in partnership with the Commonwealth Foundation Short Story Prize, which annually recognizes unpublished fiction from around the British Commonwealth. Nazir’s story, which follows a rum-drinking farmer who comes across an enchanted grove, was the recognized entry from the Caribbean region.
A set of judges chaired by award-winning novelist Louise Doughty appreciated the story’s “precise yet richly evocative” language, and selected the piece as a regional finalist from a whopping class of 7,806 entries across the board. But literary sleuths smelled a rat.
Ethan Mollick, a Wharton professor who studies AI’s effects on education and the workplace, broke down this “Turing Test of sorts” in a helpful Bluesky thread.
To read the full article on lithub.com, click here


Author Rie Qudan: Why I used ChatGPT to write my prize-winning novel
firstwriter.com subscriber wins Ruth Rendell Short Story Competition
The story of Tarantula Tide, an award winning children’s novel
Winning writing competitions
How I got my book published - An interview with author, Stephen Nuttall
How I got my book published - An interview with author, Marion Grace Woolley
Do we still need the Women’s Prize for Fiction?
The sure-fire way to getting your book published, according to one of UK’s top literary agents
Five top tips for adapting a short story into a novel
Stella women's literary prize picks battle with non-existent enemy as it fights 'male gender bias' in the book industry
An Exclusive Look Inside the Essential Literary Magazine Granta
How I got published - An interview with author, Kent Richardson
Portico prize winner Benjamin Myers: 'Why bother chasing the big publishers?'
Ever wondered how a book gets published?
Literary Scout Philippa Donovan Sets Up Screen-To-Book Business Two Script Studio To Facilitate ‘Reverse Adaptations’
New Literary Agent Listing: Kate Garrick
How to protect against scammers – a new guide for authors
Call for Submissions | Iska Press and Iskanchi Magazine Want Your Unruly African Writing
Authors Guild Issues Updated AI Best Practices for Writers
New Literary Agent Listing: Elliot Prior
Pitt’s Writing Program launched a new literary journal
Martin Literary Management Changes Hands
New Literary Agent Listing: Eryn Kalavsky
Rocket Books Ltd. announced as a new independent UK publishing house specialising in video game-related publications
