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A pair of acclaimed Kiwi writers have had their books disqualified from consideration for the country's prestigious literary award due to the use of AI in creating their book covers.

Disqualification Details

Stephanie Johnson's short story collection "Obligate Carnivore" and the writer's novella set "Angel Train" were submitted for the 2026 Ockham book awards and its NZ$65,000 novel prize in the tenth month, but were ruled out the following thirty days because of recently introduced rules concerning AI usage.

The publisher of both books, the publisher, stated that the prize committee updated the guidelines in the eighth month, by which time the cover designs for all submitted title would have previously been finalized.

“Consequently, it was much too late for publishers to incorporate this new rule into their design plans,” Wilson said.

Authors' Responses

The author expressed understanding for the prize organizers, saying she has serious worries about AI in artistic industries, but was disappointed by the ruling.

“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 further stated that authors typically have minimal input in book artwork and was unaware AI had been used for her cover, which displays a cat 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,” Johnson explained, adding that unlike more tech-savvy age groups, she finds it difficult to recognize AI-generated images.

Johnson feared that the public might assume she used artificial intelligence 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, Elizabeth Smither expressed that the designers spent hours creating her publication's cover, which features a locomotive and an celestial figure “half-obscured in the smoke”, influenced by artist the artist's imagery.

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

Award Committee's Position

The trust chair, chair of the award foundation that administers the prizes, said the organization takes a strong position on the use of AI 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,” she stated.

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

The decision to amend the AI guidelines was motivated by a aim to protect the creative and copyright rights of the nation's writers and illustrators, she added.

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

Publishing Considerations

The publisher pointed out that publishing houses and authors often use software like Grammarly and Photoshop, which utilize AI, and this incident underscored the pressing requirement for carefully crafted policies.

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

Both Smither and Stephanie Johnson have previously served as judges for sections of the Ockham awards, and both emphasized that cover designs receive little attention during evaluation.

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

The use of AI in artistic fields has faced increasing scrutiny as the tech progresses, with some groups creating methods to counter its impact.