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A pair of acclaimed Kiwi authors have had their works disqualified from contention for the nation's prestigious literary prize due to the use of AI in creating their cover art.

Exclusion Details

The author's story compilation "Obligate Carnivore" and Elizabeth Smither's novella set "Angel Train" were submitted for the Ockham 2026 book awards and its $65,000 New Zealand dollar novel award in the tenth month, but were disqualified the next month because of new rules concerning AI usage.

The publisher of both titles, Quentin Wilson, stated that the prize organizers amended the criteria in August, by which point the covers for all entered book would have already been completed.

“It was, therefore, far too late for any publisher to have taken this clause into account in their design briefs,” Wilson noted.

Writers' Reactions

Johnson expressed sympathy for the award administrators, saying she shares serious worries about artificial intelligence in creative industries, but was disappointed by the decision.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t sad about it,” 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 further stated that authors usually have little input in book artwork and was did not know AI had been employed 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, adding that unlike younger generations, she struggles to identify computer-created graphics.

The writer worried that readers might think she used AI to compose her book, which she categorically 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 expressed that the designers spent considerable time crafting her publication's art, which includes a steam train and an angel partially hidden by smoke, influenced by artist Marc Chagall's imagery.

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

Prize Trust's Stance

The trust chair, chair of the book awards trust that administers the prizes, said the organization takes a “firm stance on the use 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,” she said.

“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 motivated by a aim to support the artistic and copyright rights of the country's authors and illustrators, she explained.

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

Publishing Considerations

Wilson pointed out that publishers and writers regularly employ tools like grammar checkers and image editors, which incorporate AI, and this incident highlighted the pressing requirement for well-defined guidelines.

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

Both Smither and Johnson have previously served as judges for categories of the prizes, and both stressed that cover designs receive little consideration during judging.

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

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