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A pair of award-winning Kiwi writers have had their works excluded from consideration for the country's prestigious literary award because of the utilization of AI in designing their book covers.

Disqualification Details

The author's story collection "Obligate Carnivore" and the writer's short novel collection "Angel Train" were submitted for the 2026 Ockham literary prizes and its $65,000 New Zealand dollar fiction prize in the tenth month, but were disqualified the next thirty days because of new guidelines regarding artificial intelligence use.

The publisher of both titles, Quentin Wilson, explained that the prize organizers updated the criteria in the eighth month, by which point the covers 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' Reactions

Johnson voiced sympathy for the award organizers, saying she has deep concerns about AI in artistic industries, but was disappointed by the decision.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t sad about it,” she remarked. “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 added that writers typically have little involvement in cover design and was did not know artificial intelligence had been used for her cover, which displays a feline with human teeth.

“I just thought it was a photograph of a real cat and the teeth had been superimposed, but apparently it wasn’t,” the author said, adding that unlike more tech-savvy generations, she finds it difficult to identify computer-created graphics.

The writer feared that readers might think she employed AI to compose her work, 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 expressed that the designers devoted hours crafting her book's cover, which features a steam train and an angel “half-obscured in the smoke”, influenced by artist the artist's imagery.

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

Award Trust's Stance

The trust chair, head of the book awards trust that administers the Ockham awards, affirmed the organization takes a “firm stance on the use of artificial intelligence in books.”

“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 decision to amend the artificial intelligence criteria was motivated by a desire to protect the artistic and copyright rights of the nation's writers and artists, she explained.

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

Industry Considerations

The publisher pointed out that publishing houses and authors often employ tools like grammar checkers and Photoshop, which utilize artificial intelligence, and this incident underscored the pressing need for well-defined guidelines.

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

Both Smither and Stephanie Johnson have in the past been jurors for categories of the Ockham awards, and both stressed that cover designs get minimal consideration during evaluation.

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

The use of AI in artistic fields has encountered growing examination as the technology progresses, with some groups creating ways to address its influence.