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Two award-winning New Zealand authors have had their works excluded from consideration for the country's esteemed literary award because of the utilization of artificial intelligence in creating their book covers.

Disqualification Details

Stephanie Johnson's short story collection "Obligate Carnivore" and Elizabeth Smither's short novel set "Angel Train" were submitted for the Ockham 2026 book awards and its NZ$65,000 fiction award in the tenth month, but were disqualified the next month because of new rules regarding artificial intelligence use.

The publisher of the two books, the publisher, explained that the prize committee amended the criteria in the eighth month, by which time the cover designs for all submitted title 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

The author voiced understanding for the prize organizers, saying she has deep concerns about AI in artistic fields, but was disappointed by the decision.

“It would be untrue to claim I am not upset by this,” 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.”

She added that authors usually have minimal involvement in book design and was unaware AI had been used for her book cover, which displays a feline with human dentition.

“I believed it was an actual cat photo with superimposed teeth, but that was not the case,” the author said, adding that unlike more tech-savvy age groups, she struggles to identify AI-generated images.

The writer worried that the public might assume she used artificial intelligence to compose her book, which she emphatically did not do.

“Instead of talking about my book … and what the inspiration was, we are talking about bloody AI, which I hate.”

In a comment, Elizabeth Smither said that the designers spent considerable time crafting her publication's art, which includes a steam train and an celestial figure “half-obscured in the smoke”, inspired by artist Marc Chagall's imagery.

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

Award Committee's Stance

The trust chair, chair of the award foundation that administers the Ockham awards, said the organization maintains a strong position on the application of artificial intelligence in publications.”

“The trust does not take lightly a decision that prevents the latest works of two of New Zealand’s most esteemed writers from being considered for the 2026 award,” Legat stated.

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

The move to revise the AI guidelines was motivated by a desire to support the artistic and intellectual property interests of the country's authors and artists, she explained.

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

Publishing Reflections

The publisher noted that publishers and authors regularly use software like Grammarly and image editors, which utilize artificial intelligence, and this incident highlighted the urgent requirement for carefully crafted policies.

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

Both Elizabeth Smither and Johnson have in the past served as judges for sections of the prizes, and both emphasized that covers receive little consideration during evaluation.

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

The application of AI in artistic sectors has faced increasing scrutiny as the technology advances, with some organizations developing methods to address its influence.