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A pair of award-winning Kiwi writers have had their books excluded from consideration for the nation's prestigious literary prize due to the use of artificial intelligence in designing their book covers.

Disqualification Particulars

Stephanie Johnson's story compilation "Obligate Carnivore" and the writer's short novel set "Angel Train" were entered for the Ockham 2026 literary prizes and its NZ$65,000 novel award in October, but were disqualified the following month because of new guidelines regarding artificial intelligence use.

The publisher of the two books, Quentin Wilson, explained that the prize organizers amended the criteria in August, by which point the covers for every entered title would have previously been completed.

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

Writers' Reactions

The author voiced sympathy for the award organizers, saying she shares deep concerns about AI in creative fields, but was disappointed by the ruling.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t sad about it,” she commented. “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 further stated that writers usually have minimal input in book artwork and was did not know AI had been used for her book cover, which features a cat with human 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, adding that unlike younger age groups, she struggles to recognize computer-created images.

The writer worried that readers might think she used artificial intelligence to compose her work, which she emphatically denied.

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

In a statement, Smither expressed that the designers spent hours crafting her publication's cover, which includes a steam train and an angel partially hidden by smoke, influenced by artist the artist's imagery.

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

Award Committee's Position

The trust chair, chair of the book awards trust that oversees the prizes, affirmed the trust takes a “firm stance on the use of AI in publications.”

“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 decision to revise the artificial intelligence criteria was motivated by a aim to protect the creative and copyright interests 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.”

Industry Reflections

Wilson pointed out that publishers and writers regularly use tools like Grammarly and image editors, which incorporate AI, and this situation highlighted the urgent need for carefully crafted policies.

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

Both Smither and Stephanie Johnson have previously served as judges for sections of the prizes, and both emphasized that covers get little attention during evaluation.

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

The application of artificial intelligence in artistic fields has encountered growing scrutiny as the tech advances, with some organizations developing ways to counter its influence.