Despite the dominance of novels, short stories play a crucial role in education and the global reach of literature; for example, in the case of Hans Christian Andersen or Anton Chekhov. This response reflects on the process of mapping a world canon of impactful short stories, emphasising the importance of combining subjective knowledge with statistical data from sources like UNESCO's Index Translationum and Goodreads. Furthermore, the potential for large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT to enhance literary research represents a promising avenue for exploration, offering additional insights and context. Despite concerns about their accuracy, LLMs can expand the scope of literary studies and help identify influential short stories and authors overlooked by traditional methods. Integrating generative AI into canon studies offers a new dimension to understanding literary influence and impact.