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A pair of award-winning New Zealand authors have had their books disqualified from contention for the country's esteemed literature prize because of the utilization of AI in designing their cover art.

Exclusion Details

Stephanie Johnson's story collection "Obligate Carnivore" and Elizabeth Smither's novella set "Angel Train" were submitted for the 2026 Ockham book awards and its NZ$65,000 fiction award in October, but were disqualified the next month because of new guidelines regarding AI use.

The publisher of both titles, the publisher, explained that the prize organizers updated the criteria in the eighth month, by which time the cover designs for every entered book would have previously been completed.

“Consequently, it was much too late for publishers to incorporate this new rule into their design plans,” the publisher noted.

Writers' Reactions

Johnson voiced understanding for the prize administrators, saying she has serious worries about artificial intelligence in artistic industries, but was disappointed by the decision.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t sad about it,” 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.”

She further stated that writers usually have minimal input in book artwork and was unaware AI had been employed for her cover, which displays a cat with human-like dentition.

“I believed it was an actual cat photo with superimposed teeth, but that was not the case,” Johnson said, noting that unlike younger generations, she finds it difficult to recognize computer-created graphics.

The writer feared that readers might assume she used artificial intelligence to compose her book, which she emphatically did not do.

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

In a comment, Smither expressed that the artists spent considerable time crafting her book's art, which includes a locomotive and an celestial figure partially hidden by smoke, influenced by artist the artist's figures.

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

Award Committee's Position

Nicola Legat, head of the award foundation that oversees the Ockham awards, said the trust takes a strong position on the use 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.

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

The move to revise the artificial intelligence guidelines was driven by a aim to support the artistic and copyright rights of the nation's writers and artists, she explained.

“With artificial intelligence advancing, the trust may need to review and refine these criteria in the future.”

Publishing Reflections

The publisher noted that publishing houses and authors often employ tools like Grammarly and Photoshop, which incorporate artificial intelligence, and this situation underscored the pressing need for well-defined guidelines.

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

Both Elizabeth Smither and Stephanie Johnson have in the past been jurors for sections of the Ockham awards, and both stressed that covers get little attention during judging.

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

The use of AI in artistic fields has faced increasing examination as the technology advances, with some groups creating methods to address its impact.