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A pair of award-winning Kiwi writers have had their books excluded from contention for the nation's esteemed literary award because of the utilization of AI in designing their book covers.

Disqualification Particulars

The author's story collection "Obligate Carnivore" and the writer's short novel set "Angel Train" were submitted for the 2026 Ockham book awards and its NZ$65,000 fiction award in the tenth month, but were disqualified the next month due to recently introduced rules concerning artificial intelligence usage.

The publishing house of the two books, Quentin Wilson, stated that the prize committee updated the guidelines in the eighth month, by which point the cover designs for every submitted 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.

Writers' Responses

Johnson voiced sympathy for the award administrators, stating she has deep concerns about AI in creative industries, but was let down by the ruling.

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

She further stated that writers typically have minimal input in book design and was unaware artificial intelligence had been employed for her cover, which displays a cat with human-like teeth.

“I believed it was an actual cat photo with superimposed teeth, but that was not the case,” the author said, noting that unlike younger age groups, she finds it difficult to identify computer-created graphics.

Johnson worried that the public might think she employed artificial intelligence to write her work, 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 statement, Smither said that the artists devoted hours creating her book's cover, which includes a steam train and an celestial figure “half-obscured in the smoke”, influenced by artist Marc Chagall's imagery.

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

Award Trust's Stance

The trust chair, chair of the book awards trust that oversees the prizes, affirmed the organization takes a strong position 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,” Legat 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 criteria was driven by a aim to protect the creative and copyright interests of the nation's writers and illustrators, she added.

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

Publishing Considerations

The publisher noted that publishers and authors often employ software like Grammarly and Photoshop, which incorporate artificial intelligence, and this situation highlighted the urgent need for well-defined guidelines.

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

Both Elizabeth Smither and Johnson have previously served as judges for categories of the Ockham awards, and both emphasized that cover designs receive minimal consideration during judging.

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

The use of AI in artistic fields has faced increasing scrutiny as the tech advances, with some organizations developing methods to counter its impact.