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A pair of award-winning New Zealand authors have had their books excluded from consideration for the nation's esteemed literary prize because of the utilization of AI in designing their cover art.

Disqualification Particulars

Stephanie Johnson's story collection "Obligate Carnivore" and the writer's novella set "Angel Train" were entered for the 2026 Ockham literary prizes and its NZ$65,000 novel award in October, but were disqualified the following thirty days due to recently introduced guidelines regarding artificial intelligence usage.

The publishing house of both titles, the publisher, explained that the awards organizers updated the criteria in August, by which point the cover designs for all submitted title would have already been finalized.

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

Writers' Reactions

The author expressed sympathy for the award organizers, stating she shares serious worries about artificial intelligence in creative fields, but was let down by the ruling.

“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 usually have minimal input in cover artwork and was did not know AI had been used for her cover, which features a cat with human-like teeth.

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

The writer worried that readers might assume she used artificial intelligence to write her work, which she categorically denied.

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

In a statement, Elizabeth Smither expressed that the artists devoted hours crafting her book's cover, which features a locomotive and an celestial figure “half-obscured in the smoke”, inspired by painter Marc Chagall's figures.

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

Award Committee's Stance

Nicola Legat, chair of the book awards trust that oversees the prizes, said the organization takes a “firm stance on the use of artificial intelligence 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,” Legat stated.

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

The decision to amend the AI guidelines was driven by a aim to protect the artistic and copyright rights of the nation's authors and illustrators, she added.

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

Publishing Considerations

The publisher pointed out that publishers and writers regularly employ tools like grammar checkers and Photoshop, which incorporate AI, and this situation underscored the urgent requirement for carefully crafted guidelines.

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

Both Elizabeth Smither and Stephanie Johnson have in the past served as judges 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,” the author concluded.

The use of artificial intelligence in creative fields has faced growing examination as the technology advances, with some groups creating ways to counter its influence.