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Two award-winning New Zealand writers have had their books disqualified from consideration for the country's esteemed literature award due to the utilization of AI in creating their cover art.

Exclusion Particulars

The author's short story compilation "Obligate Carnivore" and the writer's novella collection "Angel Train" were entered for the Ockham 2026 book awards and its $65,000 New Zealand dollar novel prize in October, but were disqualified the following month due to new guidelines regarding AI use.

The publishing house of both titles, the publisher, explained that the awards committee updated the guidelines in August, by which time the cover designs for every entered book would have previously been completed.

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

Authors' Responses

The author voiced sympathy for the prize administrators, stating she shares serious worries about AI in artistic industries, but was disappointed by the decision.

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

Johnson added that authors typically have minimal input in cover design and was did not know AI had been used for her cover, which features a cat with human teeth.

“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 generations, she finds it difficult to recognize computer-created graphics.

Johnson worried that readers might think she used artificial intelligence to write her work, which she categorically did not do.

“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 artists devoted hours creating her publication's cover, which features a locomotive and an angel “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 stated.

Award Committee's Stance

Nicola Legat, head of the book awards trust that oversees the Ockham awards, said the trust maintains 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,” Legat stated.

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

The decision to revise the AI criteria was driven by a desire to support the creative and copyright interests of the country's authors and illustrators, she added.

“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 use tools like grammar checkers and image editors, which incorporate artificial intelligence, and this situation highlighted the pressing requirement for well-defined policies.

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

Both Elizabeth Smither and Johnson have in the past served as judges for sections of the Ockham awards, and both emphasized that cover designs get little attention during evaluation.

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

The use of artificial intelligence in creative fields has encountered growing examination as the technology progresses, with some groups creating methods to counter its impact.