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Two acclaimed Kiwi writers have had their books excluded from contention for the nation's esteemed literary prize due to the utilization of artificial intelligence in designing their book covers.

Disqualification Particulars

The author's story collection "Obligate Carnivore" and the writer's novella set "Angel Train" were entered for the 2026 Ockham book awards and its NZ$65,000 novel award in October, but were ruled out the following thirty days because of recently introduced rules regarding artificial intelligence use.

The publishing house of both titles, the publisher, explained that the prize organizers amended the criteria in the eighth month, by which point the cover designs for every submitted book 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.

Authors' Reactions

Johnson expressed sympathy for the award organizers, stating she shares serious worries about AI in artistic fields, but was disappointed by the ruling.

“It would be untrue to claim I am not upset by this,” 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 little input in cover artwork and was did not know AI had been employed for her book cover, which displays a feline with human teeth.

“I believed it was an actual cat photo with superimposed teeth, but that was not the case,” the author said, noting that unlike younger age groups, she finds it difficult to identify AI-generated images.

Johnson feared that the public might assume she employed 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, Elizabeth Smither said that the designers devoted hours crafting her publication's cover, which includes a locomotive and an celestial figure partially hidden by smoke, influenced by painter the artist'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 oversees the Ockham awards, affirmed the trust maintains 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,” she said.

“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 motivated by a desire to protect the creative and copyright interests of the country's writers and artists, she explained.

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

Industry Considerations

The publisher pointed out that publishing houses and authors often use tools like grammar checkers and Photoshop, which utilize AI, and this situation underscored the pressing need for carefully crafted guidelines.

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

Both Elizabeth Smither and Stephanie Johnson have previously served as judges for categories of the prizes, and both emphasized that cover designs receive minimal attention during evaluation.

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

The use of AI in creative sectors has faced increasing examination as the technology progresses, with some groups creating methods to address its influence.