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Two acclaimed New Zealand writers have had their books excluded from consideration for the nation's prestigious literary prize due to the utilization of AI in designing their cover art.

Disqualification Particulars

Stephanie Johnson's story collection "Obligate Carnivore" and Elizabeth Smither's short novel collection "Angel Train" were submitted for the Ockham 2026 literary prizes and its $65,000 New Zealand dollar novel award in the tenth month, but were disqualified the following month because of new rules concerning AI use.

The publisher of the two books, the publisher, explained that the awards committee amended the guidelines in August, by which time the cover designs for every entered book would have previously been finalized.

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

Writers' Reactions

Johnson voiced understanding for the award administrators, saying she shares serious worries about artificial intelligence in creative industries, but was let down by the ruling.

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

She further stated that authors typically have little input in cover artwork and was unaware AI had been employed for her book cover, which displays a feline with human-like dentition.

“I believed it was an actual cat photo with superimposed teeth, but that was not the case,” Johnson explained, adding that unlike younger age groups, she struggles to identify AI-generated images.

Johnson worried that readers might assume she used artificial intelligence to write her book, which she categorically 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 said that the artists devoted hours crafting her book's cover, which features a locomotive and an celestial figure “half-obscured in the smoke”, influenced by painter the artist's imagery.

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

Award Committee's Stance

The trust chair, chair of the book awards trust that administers the Ockham awards, said the trust maintains a strong position on the use of AI in books.”

“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.

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

The move to revise the AI guidelines was motivated by a aim to protect the artistic and intellectual property interests of the country's authors and artists, she added.

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

Industry Reflections

Wilson pointed out that publishers and authors often employ tools like Grammarly and Photoshop, which incorporate artificial intelligence, and this incident highlighted the urgent requirement for carefully crafted guidelines.

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

Both Smither and Johnson have in the past been jurors for sections of the prizes, and both stressed that cover designs receive little consideration during evaluation.

“The contents and the close reading were everything,” Smither said.

The application of AI in artistic fields has faced increasing scrutiny as the tech progresses, with some organizations creating methods to address its impact.