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Two acclaimed New Zealand authors have had their works disqualified from contention for the nation's prestigious literary award because of the utilization of artificial intelligence in designing their cover art.

Exclusion Particulars

The author's story compilation "Obligate Carnivore" and Elizabeth Smither's novella set "Angel Train" were entered for the 2026 Ockham book awards and its $65,000 New Zealand dollar fiction prize in October, but were ruled out the next thirty days because of recently introduced guidelines concerning AI use.

The publisher of both books, the publisher, explained that the prize committee amended the criteria in the eighth month, by which point the covers for all entered book 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 prize administrators, stating she has 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 added that authors typically have little involvement in book artwork and was did not know AI had been used for her book cover, which displays a feline with human-like teeth.

“I believed it was an actual cat photo with superimposed teeth, but that was not the case,” Johnson said, noting that unlike more tech-savvy generations, she finds it difficult to identify AI-generated graphics.

The writer worried that readers might think she employed AI to write her book, which she emphatically 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, Smither said that the artists devoted considerable time crafting her publication's cover, which includes a steam train and an celestial figure partially hidden by smoke, inspired by artist the artist's imagery.

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

Award Trust's Position

Nicola Legat, head of the book awards trust that administers the prizes, said the organization maintains a “firm stance 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 revise the artificial intelligence guidelines was motivated by a desire to protect the creative and copyright interests of the country's writers and illustrators, she explained.

“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 employ tools like Grammarly and image editors, which utilize AI, and this incident underscored the urgent need for well-defined policies.

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

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

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

The application of artificial intelligence in creative sectors has faced increasing examination as the technology advances, with some groups developing ways to counter its influence.