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A pair of award-winning New Zealand writers have had their books excluded from contention for the country's prestigious literature award because of the utilization of artificial intelligence in designing their cover art.

Exclusion Details

The author's story compilation "Obligate Carnivore" and the writer's short novel collection "Angel Train" were entered for the 2026 Ockham book awards and its NZ$65,000 fiction award in October, but were ruled out the following thirty days because of new guidelines concerning AI usage.

The publisher of both books, Quentin Wilson, explained that the awards committee updated the criteria in the eighth month, by which point the covers for all entered title would have already been completed.

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

Authors' Responses

Johnson expressed sympathy for the prize administrators, saying she has serious worries about artificial intelligence in artistic industries, but was let down by the decision.

“It would be untrue to claim I am not upset by this,” she remarked. “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 added that writers usually have minimal input in cover artwork and was did not know 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,” the author explained, noting that unlike younger age groups, she struggles to recognize AI-generated images.

The writer worried that the public might think she used artificial intelligence to write 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 statement, Elizabeth Smither said that the artists devoted considerable time creating her publication's art, which includes a locomotive and an angel “half-obscured in the smoke”, inspired by artist Marc Chagall's figures.

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

Award Committee's Stance

Nicola Legat, head of the award foundation that administers the Ockham awards, said the organization takes a strong position on the application 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 guidelines was driven by a aim to protect the creative and copyright rights of the country'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 Reflections

Wilson pointed out that publishing houses and authors often employ tools like Grammarly and Photoshop, which incorporate AI, and this incident highlighted the pressing need for well-defined guidelines.

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

Both Smither and Johnson have previously served as judges for categories of the Ockham awards, and both stressed that cover designs receive little consideration during evaluation.

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

The use of AI in artistic fields has encountered increasing scrutiny as the technology progresses, with some organizations developing methods to counter its influence.