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A pair of acclaimed New Zealand writers have had their works excluded from consideration for the nation's esteemed literature prize due to the use of artificial intelligence in creating their cover art.

Exclusion Details

Stephanie Johnson's short story collection "Obligate Carnivore" and Elizabeth Smither's novella collection "Angel Train" were entered for the 2026 Ockham book awards and its $65,000 New Zealand dollar novel prize in the tenth month, but were ruled out the next thirty days because of new rules regarding AI usage.

The publisher of the two books, Quentin Wilson, explained that the prize committee updated the criteria in August, by which time the cover designs 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 noted.

Writers' Responses

Johnson voiced understanding for the award administrators, saying she shares serious worries about artificial intelligence in artistic industries, but was let down by the ruling.

“It would be untrue to claim I am not upset by this,” she commented. “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 writers typically have little input in cover design and was did not know artificial intelligence had been employed for her book cover, which features 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, adding that unlike more tech-savvy age groups, she struggles to identify computer-created graphics.

Johnson feared that readers might think she used artificial intelligence to compose 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, Elizabeth Smither expressed that the artists spent considerable time crafting her book's art, which includes a steam train and an celestial figure partially hidden by smoke, influenced by artist the artist's imagery.

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

Prize Trust's Position

The trust chair, chair of the book awards trust that oversees the prizes, affirmed 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 said.

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

The decision to revise the AI criteria was motivated by a desire to support the artistic and intellectual property rights of the country's authors and illustrators, 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 publishers and authors often use tools like grammar checkers and Photoshop, which utilize artificial intelligence, and this situation underscored the pressing need for well-defined guidelines.

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

Both Smither and Stephanie Johnson have previously been jurors for categories of the prizes, and both emphasized that cover designs get minimal attention during evaluation.

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

The use of artificial intelligence in artistic fields has encountered increasing scrutiny as the technology progresses, with some groups creating methods to address its impact.