Short story accused of being AI-written wins overall Commonwealth prize

Jamir Nazir's The Serpent in the Grove, which critics allege has obvious markers' of AI use, was described as original, poetic and deeply moving' by the judging chair

A story widely accused on social media of being written using AI has gone on to win the overall Commonwealth short story prize.

Jamir Nazir's story The Serpent in the Grove went viral after being named as a regional winner in mid-May, with critics on X and Bluesky claiming it showed obvious markers" of AI use. The literary magazine Granta subsequently pulled out of its long-running agreement to publish the Commonwealth winners.