Simbarashe Kundizeza accused of using AI for Caine Prize-winning story

Zimbabwean author Simbarashe Kundizeza is facing allegations regarding the use of artificial intelligence in his award-winning short story, ‘The Blue Fighter’. The work recently won the 2026 Caine Prize for African Writing.

The controversy stems from an article published by The Atlantic, which utilized the AI detection tool Pangram. The analysis suggested that the story was entirely generated by AI, with the exception of a single poetic passage. Kundizeza has issued a categorical denial, stating that the work is inspired by his personal history and that he did not use AI at any stage of the creative process.

The Caine Prize committee has announced it is opening an investigation into the matter to examine the dossier. No decision has been made regarding the potential withdrawal of the prize. This incident follows a similar controversy involving Haitian-Canadian author Thélyson Orélien, fueling a broader debate regarding the reliability of AI detection software and the authenticity of literary works in the age of generative technology.