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A pair of award-winning New Zealand authors have had their books excluded from contention for the nation's esteemed literature prize because of the use of artificial intelligence in designing their book covers.

Exclusion Details

Stephanie Johnson's short story compilation "Obligate Carnivore" and the writer's short novel set "Angel Train" were submitted for the 2026 Ockham book awards and its NZ$65,000 novel prize in October, but were disqualified the following month due to new rules concerning AI use.

The publisher of both titles, Quentin Wilson, stated that the prize committee updated the guidelines in the eighth month, by which point the covers for all entered title would have already 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' Responses

The author voiced sympathy for the award administrators, stating she has deep concerns about artificial intelligence in creative industries, but was let down by the decision.

“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 writers usually have minimal input in cover design and was unaware AI had been used for her book cover, which displays a feline 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, noting that unlike younger generations, she struggles to recognize computer-created images.

Johnson worried that the public might think she used artificial intelligence to write her work, 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 comment, Elizabeth Smither expressed that the designers devoted hours creating her publication's art, which features a locomotive and an celestial figure “half-obscured in the smoke”, influenced by artist Marc Chagall's imagery.

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

Prize Committee's Stance

Nicola Legat, head of the book awards trust that oversees the prizes, said the trust takes a “firm stance on the application 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 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 desire to support the artistic and copyright interests of the nation's writers and illustrators, she explained.

“With artificial intelligence advancing, the trust may need to review and refine these criteria in the future.”

Industry Reflections

Wilson noted that publishers and writers often use software like grammar checkers and image editors, which utilize artificial intelligence, and this incident underscored the urgent need for carefully crafted policies.

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

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

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

The use of artificial intelligence in artistic fields has encountered increasing examination as the tech advances, with some groups creating methods to address its influence.