Tamil Nadu investigates suspected AI-generated books in public libraries

The Madras High Court has ordered an investigation into allegations that public libraries in Tamil Nadu bought hundreds of books suspected of being generated with artificial intelligence. The court also ordered the state anti-corruption agency to freeze bank accounts linked to a publisher accused of supplying the books.

The allegations focus on Periyar Arivulagam, a newly opened library in Coimbatore. Tamil novelist Perumal Murugan raised concerns about nearly 1,800 books in its Tamil section, which he said were supplied by Agal Vilakku Pathippagam. He questioned unfamiliar author names, unusually high prices and questionable International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs). It remains unclear whether artificial intelligence was used to produce any of the disputed books.

One book reportedly cost 1,445 rupees for 300 pages and described Naladiyar as a Tamil poet and philosopher, although Naladiyar is a classical work of 400 four-line verses. Another reportedly credited the ancient poem Madurai Kanchi to the wrong author. In a separate case, economist Jean Drèze told The Hindu he had not written a book that named him as its author.

Tamil Nadu's School Education Minister A Rajmohan said 523 books had been removed from Chennai's Connemara Public Library after preliminary checks. Disputed books were also removed from Periyar Arivulagam. The state government has ordered an internal audit of public library collections. More than 160 writers, researchers, artists and publishers have called for an independent inquiry and the release of procurement records. The previous Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) administration has denied allegations of wrongdoing.