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Two award-winning New Zealand authors have had their books disqualified from consideration for the nation's prestigious literature award due to the utilization of AI in designing their book covers.

Exclusion Particulars

Stephanie Johnson's short story collection "Obligate Carnivore" and Elizabeth Smither's novella collection "Angel Train" were submitted for the Ockham 2026 literary prizes and its $65,000 New Zealand dollar novel prize in the tenth month, but were disqualified the following month due to new guidelines regarding AI usage.

The publishing house of the two books, Quentin Wilson, explained that the awards committee updated the guidelines in the eighth month, by which time the cover designs for all submitted title would have previously been completed.

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

Authors' Responses

Johnson voiced understanding for the award administrators, stating she shares deep concerns about artificial intelligence in creative fields, 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 added that authors typically have minimal input in book artwork and was unaware AI had been used for her book cover, which features a cat with human-like dentition.

“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 computer-created images.

The writer feared that the public might think 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 said that the artists spent hours crafting her publication's art, which includes a locomotive and an angel “half-obscured in the smoke”, inspired by artist Marc Chagall's imagery.

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

Award Trust's Position

Nicola Legat, head of the award foundation that oversees the prizes, said the trust takes a “firm stance on the use of AI 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,” she stated.

“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 protect the creative and copyright interests of the country's writers and artists, she added.

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

Industry Reflections

Wilson noted that publishers and authors regularly use tools like grammar checkers and Photoshop, which incorporate AI, and this incident underscored the pressing need for carefully crafted guidelines.

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

Both Elizabeth Smither and Johnson have previously served as judges for categories of the Ockham awards, and both emphasized that covers receive minimal attention during evaluation.

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

The application of artificial intelligence in artistic sectors has faced increasing scrutiny as the tech progresses, with some organizations developing ways to counter its impact.