Authors Eliminated from Aotearoa's Top Literary Award After AI Use in Book Cover Artwork

A pair of acclaimed Kiwi authors have had their books disqualified from contention for the nation's esteemed literary award due to the use of AI in designing their book covers.

Exclusion Details

Stephanie Johnson's short story collection "Obligate Carnivore" and Elizabeth Smither's short novel set "Angel Train" were entered for the 2026 Ockham literary prizes and its NZ$65,000 fiction award in October, but were disqualified the following thirty days because of new guidelines concerning artificial intelligence use.

The publisher of both titles, the publisher, stated that the awards organizers amended the guidelines in the eighth month, by which time the covers for every submitted book would have already been finalized.

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

Writers' Responses

Johnson voiced sympathy for the prize administrators, stating 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 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 authors typically have minimal input in cover design and was unaware artificial intelligence had been employed for her cover, which displays a feline 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,” the author explained, adding that unlike younger age groups, she struggles to recognize AI-generated graphics.

The writer feared that readers might assume she used artificial intelligence to compose 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 comment, Elizabeth Smither expressed that the designers spent considerable time crafting her book's art, which features a locomotive and an angel “half-obscured in the smoke”, influenced by artist Marc Chagall's figures.

“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 award foundation that administers the Ockham awards, affirmed the trust takes a “firm stance on the use of artificial intelligence in publications.”

“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,” she 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 guidelines was driven by a desire to protect the creative and intellectual property interests of the country's authors and artists, she explained.

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

Publishing Considerations

Wilson noted that publishers and authors often use tools like Grammarly and image editors, which incorporate AI, and this incident underscored the pressing need for carefully crafted guidelines.

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

Both Smither and Stephanie Johnson have in the past served as judges for categories of the Ockham awards, and both stressed that covers get little consideration during judging.

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

The application of AI in artistic sectors has faced growing scrutiny as the tech progresses, with some groups creating ways to address its influence.