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A pair of acclaimed Kiwi authors have had their works disqualified from consideration for the country's esteemed literature prize because of the utilization of AI in creating their book covers.

Exclusion Details

Stephanie Johnson's short story collection "Obligate Carnivore" and the writer's short novel set "Angel Train" were submitted for the 2026 Ockham literary prizes and its $65,000 New Zealand dollar fiction prize in October, but were ruled out the next thirty days because of recently introduced rules concerning AI usage.

The publisher of both books, Quentin Wilson, stated that the awards committee updated the guidelines in August, by which point the cover designs for every submitted book would have previously been finalized.

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

Writers' Responses

Johnson voiced understanding for the prize organizers, saying she shares deep concerns about artificial intelligence in artistic industries, 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 authors usually have little input in cover artwork and was unaware artificial intelligence had been employed for her book cover, which features a cat with human dentition.

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

Johnson feared that readers might assume she used AI to write her book, which she emphatically did not do.

“Rather than discussing my book's themes and inspirations, we're focused on this AI issue, which I despise.”

In a statement, Elizabeth Smither expressed that the artists devoted hours creating her publication's art, which includes a locomotive and an angel partially hidden by smoke, influenced by painter Marc Chagall's figures.

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

Award Committee's Stance

Nicola Legat, chair of the award foundation that oversees the prizes, said the trust maintains a “firm stance on the application of artificial intelligence 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.

“However, the criteria apply to all entrants, regardless of their mana [status], and must be consistently applied to all.”

The move to revise the artificial intelligence criteria was motivated by a desire to protect the artistic and copyright rights of the country's authors and illustrators, she added.

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

Industry Considerations

The publisher pointed out that publishers and authors often use software like Grammarly and Photoshop, which utilize AI, and this incident highlighted the urgent requirement for carefully crafted guidelines.

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

Both Elizabeth Smither and Johnson have previously been jurors for sections of the prizes, and both emphasized that covers get little consideration during judging.

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

The application of artificial intelligence in creative fields has encountered growing scrutiny as the tech progresses, with some groups creating ways to counter its impact.