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Two award-winning New Zealand authors have had their works disqualified from consideration for the country's prestigious literary award because of the use of AI in designing their book covers.

Disqualification Details

Stephanie Johnson's story collection "Obligate Carnivore" and the writer's short novel set "Angel Train" were entered for the 2026 Ockham book awards and its $65,000 New Zealand dollar fiction award in the tenth month, but were ruled out the next thirty days because of recently introduced guidelines regarding AI use.

The publishing house of the two books, Quentin Wilson, stated that the awards organizers amended the guidelines in August, by which time the covers for every entered title would have already been finalized.

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

Writers' Reactions

The author voiced understanding for the prize organizers, stating she has serious worries about artificial intelligence in artistic fields, but was disappointed by the decision.

“It would be untrue to claim I am not upset by this,” 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.”

Johnson further stated that authors usually have minimal input in book artwork and was did not know AI had been used for her book cover, which displays a feline with human dentition.

“I believed it was an actual cat photo with superimposed teeth, but that was not the case,” Johnson explained, noting that unlike younger generations, she struggles to recognize computer-created images.

The writer feared that readers might think 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 expressed that the artists spent considerable time crafting her publication's cover, which includes a steam train 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 remarked.

Prize Trust's Position

The trust chair, chair of the book awards trust that oversees the Ockham awards, said the organization takes a “firm stance 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 stated.

“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 driven by a desire to protect the creative and copyright interests of the country's writers and illustrators, she explained.

“As AI evolves, there may well be a need for the trust to revisit and develop the criteria further.”

Publishing Reflections

The publisher pointed out that publishing houses and writers often employ software like grammar checkers and image editors, which incorporate artificial intelligence, and this situation highlighted the pressing requirement for well-defined policies.

“As an industry, we must work together to ensure that this situation does not happen again.”

Both Elizabeth Smither and Johnson have in the past served as judges for sections of the Ockham awards, and both stressed that covers get minimal attention during evaluation.

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

The use of artificial intelligence in artistic fields has encountered increasing examination as the technology progresses, with some groups developing methods to counter its influence.