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A pair of award-winning New Zealand authors have had their works excluded from consideration for the nation's prestigious literary prize because of the use of AI in designing their book covers.

Disqualification Particulars

The author's short story compilation "Obligate Carnivore" and Elizabeth Smither's novella collection "Angel Train" were entered for the Ockham 2026 literary prizes and its NZ$65,000 fiction prize in October, but were ruled out the next thirty days due to new guidelines concerning artificial intelligence usage.

The publishing house of both titles, Quentin Wilson, stated that the awards organizers amended the guidelines 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,” Wilson noted.

Authors' Responses

Johnson voiced sympathy for the award organizers, stating she shares serious worries about artificial intelligence in artistic fields, but was let down by the decision.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t sad about it,” she remarked. “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 writers usually have minimal involvement in cover design and was did not know artificial intelligence had been used for her cover, which features a feline with human 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 recognize AI-generated graphics.

Johnson feared that readers might assume she employed artificial intelligence to compose her book, 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, Smither said that the artists devoted hours creating her publication's art, which includes a locomotive and an angel “half-obscured in the smoke”, influenced by painter Marc Chagall's figures.

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

Award Committee's Stance

The trust chair, chair of the award foundation that administers the prizes, said the organization takes a “firm stance on the application 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 stated.

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

The decision to amend the artificial intelligence guidelines was driven by a desire 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.”

Publishing Reflections

The publisher pointed out that publishers and authors regularly employ software like Grammarly and Photoshop, which utilize AI, and this situation underscored the pressing need for well-defined guidelines.

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

Both Smither and Johnson have in the past served as judges for sections of the prizes, and both emphasized that covers get minimal consideration during evaluation.

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

The application of AI in artistic sectors has faced growing scrutiny as the tech advances, with some organizations developing ways to address its influence.