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Two acclaimed New Zealand authors have had their books disqualified from consideration for the nation's esteemed literary prize because of the utilization of artificial intelligence in designing their cover art.

Disqualification Details

The author's story collection "Obligate Carnivore" and the writer's short novel set "Angel Train" were submitted for the 2026 Ockham literary prizes and its NZ$65,000 fiction prize in October, but were disqualified the following month because of new guidelines concerning artificial intelligence usage.

The publisher of the two books, Quentin Wilson, stated that the prize committee updated the criteria in the eighth month, by which point the covers for all entered book would have already been finalized.

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

Authors' Responses

Johnson expressed sympathy for the award organizers, saying she shares deep concerns about artificial intelligence in creative fields, but was let down by the ruling.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t sad about it,” 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.”

She added that authors usually have little involvement in book design and was unaware 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 explained, noting that unlike younger age groups, she struggles to recognize computer-created images.

The writer worried that the public might think she employed artificial intelligence to write her book, which she categorically denied.

“Instead of talking about my book … and what the inspiration was, we are talking about bloody AI, which I hate.”

In a comment, Elizabeth Smither expressed that the designers devoted hours crafting her book's cover, which includes a steam train and an angel “half-obscured in the smoke”, influenced by artist Marc Chagall's figures.

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

Award Trust's Position

The trust chair, head of the book awards trust that oversees the Ockham awards, said the trust maintains a strong position on the use of AI in publications.”

“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.

“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 criteria was driven by a desire to protect the artistic and copyright rights of the nation's authors and illustrators, she added.

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

Industry Reflections

The publisher noted that publishers and authors regularly use tools like Grammarly and Photoshop, which utilize AI, and this situation underscored the urgent requirement for well-defined policies.

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

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

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

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