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Two award-winning New Zealand writers have had their works disqualified from contention for the nation's prestigious literature prize because of the utilization of AI in creating their cover art.

Disqualification Details

Stephanie Johnson's story collection "Obligate Carnivore" and the writer's novella set "Angel Train" were entered for the Ockham 2026 literary prizes and its $65,000 New Zealand dollar fiction award in October, but were ruled out the next month because of new rules regarding artificial intelligence use.

The publisher of both books, Quentin Wilson, stated that the prize organizers updated the criteria in the eighth month, by which time the covers for all submitted title would have already been finalized.

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

Authors' Responses

Johnson expressed sympathy for the award administrators, saying she shares deep concerns about artificial intelligence in artistic industries, but was disappointed by the decision.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t sad about it,” 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 added that writers typically have minimal involvement in cover artwork and was unaware artificial intelligence had been used for her book cover, which displays a cat with human dentition.

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

The writer feared that readers might think she used AI to write her book, 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, Elizabeth Smither expressed that the artists devoted hours crafting her book's art, which features a locomotive and an celestial figure “half-obscured in the smoke”, influenced by painter Marc Chagall's figures.

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

Prize Trust's Position

Nicola Legat, chair of the book awards trust that oversees the prizes, affirmed the trust maintains 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 said.

“Nevertheless, the rules apply equally to every participant, no matter their standing, and must be enforced uniformly.”

The decision to revise the artificial intelligence guidelines was motivated by a aim to support the creative and intellectual property interests of the country's writers and artists, she explained.

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

Publishing Considerations

The publisher noted that publishers and authors regularly employ software like grammar checkers and Photoshop, which utilize AI, and this situation highlighted the pressing requirement for well-defined 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 served as judges for categories of the Ockham awards, and both emphasized that cover designs receive little attention during judging.

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

The use of artificial intelligence in creative sectors has encountered increasing scrutiny as the tech progresses, with some organizations creating methods to address its impact.