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Two acclaimed Kiwi writers have had their works excluded from contention for the country's esteemed literature award because of the use of AI in designing their book covers.

Exclusion Particulars

The author's short story compilation "Obligate Carnivore" and the writer's novella collection "Angel Train" were entered for the Ockham 2026 book awards and its $65,000 New Zealand dollar fiction prize in the tenth month, but were disqualified the following month due to new rules regarding artificial intelligence use.

The publishing house of the two titles, Quentin Wilson, explained that the prize organizers updated the guidelines in August, by which point the cover designs for every 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,” Wilson said.

Writers' Responses

The author expressed understanding for the prize administrators, saying 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 remarked. “This marks my 22nd publication and my fourth short story anthology. These tales … were composed over roughly two decades, making this a particularly significant work for me.”

She added that authors typically have minimal input in book design 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 explained, noting that unlike younger age groups, she finds it difficult to identify AI-generated images.

Johnson worried that readers might assume she used AI to write her book, 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 comment, Elizabeth Smither said that the designers devoted considerable time crafting her publication's art, which features a locomotive and an celestial figure “half-obscured in the smoke”, inspired by artist Marc Chagall's imagery.

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

Prize Trust's Stance

Nicola Legat, chair of the book awards trust that oversees the prizes, affirmed the trust takes a strong position on the use of AI in books.”

“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 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 support the artistic and copyright interests of the nation's writers and artists, she explained.

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

Industry Considerations

The publisher pointed out that publishing houses and authors often employ tools like Grammarly and Photoshop, which utilize AI, and this situation 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 Smither and Johnson have in the past been jurors for categories of the prizes, and both stressed that covers receive minimal consideration during evaluation.

“The contents and the close reading were everything,” Smither concluded.

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