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A pair of acclaimed New Zealand authors have had their works disqualified from contention for the country's prestigious literary prize due to the utilization of AI in designing their book covers.

Exclusion Details

The author's story compilation "Obligate Carnivore" and the writer's short novel set "Angel Train" were entered for the Ockham 2026 literary prizes and its NZ$65,000 novel award in the tenth month, but were disqualified the following month because of recently introduced guidelines regarding artificial intelligence usage.

The publisher of the two books, Quentin Wilson, explained that the awards committee updated the criteria in August, by which time the cover designs for every entered book would have already been completed.

“It was, therefore, far too late for any publisher to have taken this clause into account in their design briefs,” Wilson noted.

Writers' Reactions

Johnson voiced understanding for the prize administrators, stating she has serious worries about AI in creative industries, but was let down by the decision.

“It would be untrue to claim I am not upset by this,” she commented. “This marks my 22nd publication and my fourth short story anthology. These tales … were composed over roughly two decades, making this a particularly significant work for me.”

Johnson further stated that authors usually have minimal input in book artwork and was did not know artificial intelligence had been used for her cover, which features a cat with human teeth.

“I believed it was an actual cat photo with superimposed teeth, but that was not the case,” the author explained, adding that unlike more tech-savvy generations, she struggles to recognize AI-generated images.

Johnson worried that the public might assume she used AI to compose her work, which she categorically denied.

“Instead of talking about my book … and what the inspiration was, we are talking about bloody AI, which I hate.”

In a comment, Smither said that the designers devoted hours crafting her publication's art, which features a locomotive and an angel partially hidden by smoke, inspired by painter the artist's imagery.

“It is them I am most concerned about: that their meticulous work … is being disrespected,” she remarked.

Award Committee's Position

Nicola Legat, chair of the book awards trust that administers the Ockham awards, affirmed the organization maintains a “firm stance on the use of AI in publications.”

“The trust does not take lightly a decision that prevents the latest works of two of New Zealand’s most esteemed writers from being considered for the 2026 award,” she said.

“However, the criteria apply to all entrants, regardless of their mana [status], and must be consistently applied to all.”

The decision to amend the artificial intelligence guidelines was driven by a aim to protect the artistic and copyright rights of the nation's writers and illustrators, she explained.

“As AI evolves, there may well be a need for the trust to revisit and develop the criteria further.”

Publishing Considerations

Wilson pointed out that publishing houses and writers often employ tools like Grammarly and image editors, which utilize artificial intelligence, and this incident underscored the pressing requirement for carefully crafted policies.

“As an industry, we must work together to ensure that this situation does not happen again.”

Both Elizabeth Smither and Johnson have in the past been jurors for categories of the prizes, and both emphasized that covers receive minimal attention during judging.

“The text itself and its detailed analysis were all that mattered,” Smither said.

The use of AI in artistic sectors has faced growing examination as the tech progresses, with some groups creating ways to address its impact.