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A pair of award-winning Kiwi writers have had their works disqualified from contention for the country's esteemed literary award because of the use of AI in creating their book covers.

Exclusion Details

The author's story compilation "Obligate Carnivore" and the writer's short novel set "Angel Train" were submitted for the Ockham 2026 literary prizes and its NZ$65,000 fiction award in the tenth month, but were ruled out the next month because of new guidelines concerning artificial intelligence use.

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

“It was, therefore, far too late for any publisher to have taken this clause into account in their design briefs,” the publisher said.

Writers' Reactions

Johnson voiced sympathy for the prize administrators, saying she shares deep concerns about artificial intelligence in creative fields, but was let down by the decision.

“It would be untrue to claim I am not upset by this,” she commented. “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 further stated that writers usually have little input in cover design and was did not know AI had been employed for her 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,” Johnson said, noting that unlike younger generations, she finds it difficult to recognize computer-created graphics.

The writer worried that the public might assume she used artificial intelligence to compose her book, which she categorically 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 artists spent hours crafting her book's cover, which includes a locomotive and an celestial figure “half-obscured in the smoke”, influenced by painter Marc Chagall's figures.

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

Award Trust's Stance

The trust chair, head of the award foundation that administers the Ockham awards, said the organization maintains a “firm stance on the application of artificial intelligence in books.”

“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 said.

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

The move to amend the artificial intelligence guidelines was driven by a aim to support the creative and intellectual property interests of the country's writers and artists, she added.

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

Publishing Considerations

Wilson noted that publishers and authors often use tools like Grammarly and image editors, which incorporate AI, and this situation underscored the pressing requirement for well-defined policies.

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

Both Smither and Stephanie Johnson have in the past served as judges for sections of the prizes, and both stressed that cover designs get little consideration during judging.

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

The use of artificial intelligence in artistic sectors has encountered increasing scrutiny as the technology progresses, with some groups developing ways to address its influence.