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A pair of acclaimed Kiwi authors have had their works disqualified from contention for the country's esteemed literature award due to the utilization of AI in designing their book covers.

Exclusion Particulars

The author's short story compilation "Obligate Carnivore" and the writer's novella set "Angel Train" were entered for the 2026 Ockham book awards and its $65,000 New Zealand dollar novel award in the tenth month, but were ruled out the following thirty days due to recently introduced rules regarding AI use.

The publisher of the two titles, Quentin Wilson, stated that the prize committee amended the criteria in the eighth month, by which time the covers for all submitted title would have already been completed.

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

Authors' Reactions

Johnson voiced sympathy for the award organizers, saying she shares deep concerns about AI in creative fields, but was disappointed by the ruling.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t sad about it,” she commented. “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.”

Johnson further stated that authors typically have minimal involvement in cover artwork and was unaware AI had been used for her book cover, which features 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,” Johnson explained, adding that unlike more tech-savvy age groups, she finds it difficult to identify computer-created images.

The writer worried that the public might assume she employed artificial intelligence to compose her book, which she categorically 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 said that the designers spent hours crafting her book's cover, which includes a locomotive and an angel “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 Position

Nicola Legat, chair of the book awards trust that administers the prizes, said the organization takes a strong position 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.

“Nevertheless, the rules apply equally to every participant, no matter their standing, and must be enforced uniformly.”

The move to amend the AI guidelines was driven by a aim to support 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 noted that publishers and authors regularly employ tools like Grammarly and Photoshop, which utilize artificial intelligence, and this situation underscored the pressing need for well-defined guidelines.

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

Both Smither and Stephanie Johnson have previously been jurors for categories of the prizes, and both emphasized that cover designs receive little consideration during evaluation.

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

The application of AI in creative sectors has encountered growing examination as the tech advances, with some groups creating methods to address its impact.