New Indian mega library rocked by scandal over 'AI-generated books'
Summary
The Madras High Court has ordered an investigation into allegations that Tamil Nadu’s new Periyar Arivulagam library bought hundreds of books with false information or questionable authorship. It is not yet clear whether AI produced any of the disputed books; the case has also prompted calls for an audit of public library purchases across the state.Key Facts
- Novelist Perumal Murugan raised concerns about books in the library’s Tamil section after visiting it.
- Murugan alleged that nearly 1,800 books were supplied by a little-known publisher, Agal Vilakku Pathippagam.
- The court ordered the state anti-corruption agency to investigate the purchases and freeze bank accounts linked to a publisher accused of supplying books.
- Tamil Nadu’s government has blamed the previous DMK-led administration for the purchases; the DMK denies the allegations.
- One disputed book reportedly attributes the classical Tamil work Naladiyar to a poet and philosopher, though Naladiyar is a collection of 400 verses.
- Economist Jean Drèze told The Hindu he did not write a book that names him as its author.
- More than 160 writers, researchers, artists and publishers have called for an independent inquiry, procurement records to be released, and library collections across Tamil Nadu to be audited.
- The library, built at a reported cost of about 3 billion rupees, opened in Coimbatore on 16 October.
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