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Two acclaimed New Zealand authors have had their works excluded from consideration for the country's prestigious literary prize because of the use of AI in creating their cover art.

Disqualification Particulars

The author's short story compilation "Obligate Carnivore" and the writer's short novel collection "Angel Train" were submitted for the 2026 Ockham book awards and its NZ$65,000 novel award in October, but were ruled out the next month because of recently introduced guidelines regarding artificial intelligence usage.

The publishing house of both titles, Quentin Wilson, stated that the awards committee updated the guidelines in the eighth month, by which point the covers for every submitted book would have already been finalized.

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

Writers' Reactions

Johnson voiced sympathy for the prize administrators, saying she shares serious worries about artificial intelligence in creative fields, but was disappointed by the ruling.

“It would be untrue to claim I am not upset by this,” she remarked. “It’s my 22nd book, and it is my fourth collection of short stories. These stories … were written over a sort of 20 year period, so for me, it’s quite an important book.”

Johnson added that authors typically have little input in cover artwork and was did not know AI had been used for her book cover, which features a feline with human-like teeth.

“I just thought it was a photograph of a real cat and the teeth had been superimposed, but apparently it wasn’t,” the author explained, noting that unlike more tech-savvy generations, she struggles to identify AI-generated images.

The writer feared that the public might think she employed artificial intelligence to compose her book, which she emphatically denied.

“Rather than discussing my book's themes and inspirations, we're focused on this AI issue, which I despise.”

In a comment, Elizabeth Smither expressed that the designers devoted hours creating her book's cover, which features a locomotive and an angel partially hidden by smoke, influenced by painter the artist's figures.

“My primary concern is for the designers: their careful, detailed work … is not being respected,” she remarked.

Prize Trust's Position

The trust chair, chair of the award foundation that oversees the Ockham awards, said the trust maintains a “firm stance on the application of artificial intelligence in books.”

“We do not make such a decision lightly, one that bars the newest works by two of New Zealand's most respected authors from the 2026 prize,” Legat said.

“Nevertheless, the rules apply equally to every participant, no matter their standing, and must be enforced uniformly.”

The move to amend the AI criteria was driven by a desire to support the artistic and copyright rights of the country's authors and illustrators, she explained.

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

Industry Reflections

The publisher pointed out that publishing houses and authors regularly use software like grammar checkers and image editors, which utilize artificial intelligence, and this incident underscored the urgent requirement for carefully crafted policies.

“Our industry must collaborate to prevent a recurrence of this scenario.”

Both Elizabeth Smither and Johnson have in the past served as judges for sections of the Ockham awards, and both emphasized that cover designs receive little attention during evaluation.

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

The use of AI in artistic fields has encountered growing scrutiny as the tech progresses, with some organizations developing methods to address its impact.