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Two award-winning New Zealand writers have had their books excluded from contention for the nation's esteemed literary prize due to the use of AI in creating their cover art.

Exclusion Details

The author's story collection "Obligate Carnivore" and the writer's novella set "Angel Train" were submitted for the Ockham 2026 literary prizes and its $65,000 New Zealand dollar fiction prize in the tenth month, but were disqualified the following thirty days because of recently introduced guidelines concerning artificial intelligence usage.

The publisher of the two books, the publisher, stated that the prize organizers amended the guidelines in August, by which point the cover designs for all 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,” the publisher noted.

Authors' Responses

Johnson expressed understanding for the award organizers, saying she has deep concerns about AI in artistic fields, but was let down by the ruling.

“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 typically have little input in cover artwork and was unaware AI had been used for her book cover, which displays a feline with human-like dentition.

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

Johnson worried that readers might assume she employed artificial intelligence to write 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 devoted considerable time crafting her publication's art, which features a locomotive and an angel partially hidden by smoke, inspired by painter the artist's figures.

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

Prize Trust's Stance

Nicola Legat, chair of the book awards trust that administers the prizes, said the organization maintains a strong position on the use 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,” she said.

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

The decision to revise the AI criteria was driven by a desire to protect the artistic and copyright interests of the nation's authors and artists, she added.

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

Publishing Reflections

The publisher noted that publishing houses and authors regularly use software like Grammarly and Photoshop, which utilize artificial intelligence, and this incident underscored the pressing need for carefully crafted policies.

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

Both Elizabeth Smither and Johnson have previously served as judges for sections of the Ockham awards, and both stressed that covers receive little attention during evaluation.

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

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