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A pair of award-winning Kiwi authors have had their books disqualified from contention for the country's prestigious literary prize due to the use of AI in designing their book covers.

Exclusion Details

Stephanie Johnson's story compilation "Obligate Carnivore" and Elizabeth Smither's novella set "Angel Train" were entered for the Ockham 2026 literary prizes and its $65,000 New Zealand dollar fiction award in the tenth month, but were ruled out the next month because of new rules regarding artificial intelligence usage.

The publishing house of the two books, the publisher, explained that the awards committee amended the guidelines in August, by which point the cover designs for every entered title would have already been finalized.

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

Authors' Reactions

The author voiced sympathy for the award organizers, saying 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 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.”

She further stated that authors typically have little input in cover artwork and was did not know artificial intelligence had been employed for her cover, which displays a cat with human dentition.

“I believed it was an actual cat photo with superimposed teeth, but that was not the case,” Johnson explained, adding that unlike younger age groups, she struggles to identify computer-created graphics.

The writer worried that the public might assume she used 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 comment, Smither said that the artists devoted considerable time creating her publication's cover, which includes a locomotive and an celestial figure partially hidden by smoke, inspired by painter the artist's imagery.

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

Award Trust's Position

Nicola Legat, head of the award foundation that administers the Ockham awards, said the trust takes a “firm stance 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 move to revise the AI guidelines was motivated by a aim to protect the creative and copyright interests 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.”

Industry Reflections

The publisher noted that publishing houses and writers regularly employ tools like Grammarly and image editors, which utilize artificial intelligence, 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 Smither and Johnson have in the past been jurors for categories of the prizes, and both emphasized that cover designs receive little consideration during evaluation.

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

The application of artificial intelligence in creative sectors has faced increasing examination as the technology advances, with some organizations creating methods to counter its influence.