Jamir Nazir’s short story “The Serpent in the Grove” has won the overall Commonwealth Short Story Prize. The piece came under scrutiny after it went viral online, following its selection as a regional winner in mid-May. Critics on social media platforms, including X and Bluesky, alleged that the story showed “obvious markers” of AI use.
After the allegations circulated, some publishing plans changed. Granta, which had a long-running agreement to publish the Commonwealth winners, reportedly withdrew from that arrangement.
The Commonwealth Foundation later addressed the controversy, stating it was satisfied that no AI was used in the writing of Nazir’s story. The Guardian reports that the judging chair praised the work as “original, poetic and deeply moving,” and that assessment helped it secure the top prize. Other outlets summarise the win and the accompanying AI-use allegations, with the Commonwealth Foundation’s position serving as the central response to the criticism.
