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Two award-winning Kiwi writers have had their books disqualified from consideration for the nation's esteemed literature prize due to the utilization of AI in designing their book covers.

Exclusion Details

Stephanie Johnson's story collection "Obligate Carnivore" and Elizabeth Smither's short novel set "Angel Train" were entered for the Ockham 2026 book awards and its NZ$65,000 fiction award in October, but were ruled out the following thirty days because of recently introduced rules regarding AI use.

The publishing house of the two books, Quentin Wilson, stated that the awards organizers amended the criteria in the eighth month, by which time the cover designs for all 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.

Authors' Reactions

Johnson expressed understanding for the award organizers, saying she has deep concerns about artificial intelligence in creative fields, but was disappointed by the ruling.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t sad about it,” she remarked. “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 writers usually have minimal input in book design and was unaware artificial intelligence had been used for her book cover, which displays a feline 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 said, noting that unlike more tech-savvy generations, she finds it difficult to identify computer-created graphics.

The writer worried that the public might assume she used AI to compose her work, which she emphatically denied.

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

In a comment, Elizabeth Smither expressed that the artists spent hours creating her book's cover, which includes a locomotive and an angel partially hidden by smoke, influenced by painter Marc Chagall's imagery.

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

Prize Trust's Position

Nicola Legat, head of the award foundation that administers the Ockham awards, affirmed the trust maintains a strong position on the application of AI in publications.”

“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 decision to revise the artificial intelligence guidelines was driven by a aim to support the creative and copyright rights of the nation's writers and illustrators, she added.

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

Industry Considerations

Wilson pointed out that publishing houses and writers regularly use tools like grammar checkers and Photoshop, which utilize artificial intelligence, and this situation highlighted the pressing requirement 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 sections of the Ockham awards, and both emphasized that cover designs get minimal attention during judging.

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

The use of AI in creative fields has faced growing scrutiny as the technology progresses, with some organizations creating methods to counter its influence.