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Two award-winning New Zealand authors have had their books disqualified from contention for the nation's prestigious literature prize because of the utilization of AI in designing their cover art.

Exclusion Particulars

Stephanie Johnson's story collection "Obligate Carnivore" and Elizabeth Smither's short novel set "Angel Train" were entered for the 2026 Ockham literary prizes and its NZ$65,000 novel award in the tenth month, but were disqualified the following month because of new guidelines regarding AI usage.

The publishing house of both books, the publisher, stated that the prize organizers updated the guidelines in the eighth month, by which point the cover designs for every submitted title would have already been completed.

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

Writers' Responses

Johnson expressed sympathy for the award organizers, stating she has serious worries about AI in creative fields, but was disappointed 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 added that writers usually have minimal involvement in cover design and was unaware AI had been used for her cover, which features a cat with human-like teeth.

“I just thought it was a photograph of a real cat and the teeth had been superimposed, but apparently it wasn’t,” Johnson explained, adding that unlike more tech-savvy generations, she struggles to identify AI-generated graphics.

The writer worried that readers might assume she employed AI to compose her book, which she emphatically denied.

“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 spent hours crafting her book's art, which includes a steam train and an angel “half-obscured in the smoke”, inspired by painter the artist's figures.

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

Prize Committee's Position

Nicola Legat, chair of the book awards trust that administers the prizes, affirmed the trust maintains 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.

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

The move to revise the AI criteria was driven by a desire to protect the creative and copyright interests of the nation's writers and illustrators, she explained.

“With artificial intelligence advancing, the trust may need to review and refine these criteria in the future.”

Industry Reflections

Wilson noted that publishers and authors often use software like grammar checkers and image editors, which utilize AI, and this incident highlighted the urgent need 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 categories of the Ockham awards, and both stressed that cover designs receive minimal consideration during evaluation.

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

The use of artificial intelligence in artistic sectors has faced increasing examination as the tech advances, with some groups developing methods to address its influence.