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A pair of award-winning New Zealand writers have had their works excluded from contention for the nation's prestigious literary prize because of the utilization of artificial intelligence in designing their book covers.

Exclusion Details

The author's story collection "Obligate Carnivore" and Elizabeth Smither's short novel collection "Angel Train" were submitted for the 2026 Ockham literary prizes and its NZ$65,000 novel prize in October, but were disqualified the following month due to recently introduced guidelines concerning artificial intelligence use.

The publisher of both titles, Quentin Wilson, stated that the prize committee updated the guidelines in the eighth month, by which time the covers for all entered title would have already been finalized.

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

Authors' Reactions

Johnson expressed understanding for the prize administrators, saying she shares serious worries about artificial intelligence 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 usually have minimal input in cover design and was did not know artificial intelligence had been employed for her cover, which displays a cat with human teeth.

“I just thought it was a photograph of a real cat and the teeth had been superimposed, but apparently it wasn’t,” the author explained, noting that unlike younger age groups, she struggles to recognize AI-generated images.

The writer feared that the public might assume she used AI to write her book, which she emphatically 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 statement, Smither said that the designers spent considerable time creating her publication's art, which includes a locomotive and an angel “half-obscured in the smoke”, inspired by painter the artist's figures.

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

Prize Committee's Stance

The trust chair, chair of the book awards trust that oversees the prizes, said the trust maintains a strong position on the application of AI in publications.”

“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 move to amend the artificial intelligence criteria was driven by a aim to support the artistic and intellectual property rights of the nation's writers and illustrators, she added.

“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 publishing houses and authors regularly employ software like Grammarly and Photoshop, which incorporate artificial intelligence, and this situation highlighted the urgent need for well-defined guidelines.

“Our industry must collaborate to prevent a recurrence of this scenario.”

Both Elizabeth Smither and Stephanie Johnson have previously been jurors for sections of the prizes, and both emphasized that covers get minimal attention during evaluation.

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

The use of artificial intelligence in artistic fields has encountered increasing scrutiny as the tech advances, with some groups developing ways to address its impact.