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Two award-winning Kiwi writers have had their books excluded from consideration for the nation's esteemed literary prize because of the utilization of artificial intelligence in creating their book covers.

Exclusion Particulars

The author's short story collection "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 October, but were ruled out the next month due to new guidelines regarding AI usage.

The publisher of both books, the publisher, explained that the prize organizers updated the criteria in August, by which time the covers for all entered title would have previously been finalized.

“It was, therefore, far too late for any publisher to have taken this clause into account in their design briefs,” the publisher noted.

Writers' Reactions

Johnson voiced understanding for the prize administrators, saying she shares deep concerns about artificial intelligence in creative fields, but was disappointed by the decision.

“It would be untrue to claim I am not upset by this,” 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 further stated that writers typically have minimal involvement in book 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 explained, noting that unlike younger age groups, she struggles to identify computer-created images.

Johnson worried that readers might think she used artificial intelligence to compose her work, which she categorically 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, Smither said that the designers spent hours creating her book's cover, which features a locomotive and an angel “half-obscured in the smoke”, influenced by painter the artist's imagery.

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

Award Trust's Position

The trust chair, head of the award foundation that oversees the Ockham awards, said the organization maintains a strong position on the use of artificial intelligence 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,” Legat stated.

“However, the criteria apply to all entrants, regardless of their mana [status], and must be consistently applied to all.”

The move to revise the AI criteria was motivated by a aim to protect the creative and intellectual property rights of the country's authors and artists, she added.

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

Publishing Reflections

Wilson pointed out that publishing houses and authors regularly employ tools like Grammarly and image editors, which incorporate artificial intelligence, and this situation underscored the pressing requirement for carefully crafted guidelines.

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

Both Elizabeth Smither and Stephanie Johnson have in the past been jurors for categories of the prizes, and both stressed that covers receive minimal consideration during judging.

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

The application of artificial intelligence in creative sectors has faced increasing scrutiny as the technology progresses, with some organizations developing ways to counter its impact.