🔗 Share this article

Two acclaimed Kiwi authors have had their books excluded from consideration for the nation's prestigious literature award because of the use of AI in designing their cover art.

Disqualification Details

Stephanie Johnson's short story compilation "Obligate Carnivore" and the writer's novella collection "Angel Train" were entered for the Ockham 2026 literary prizes and its NZ$65,000 fiction award in the tenth month, but were ruled out the next thirty days because of new rules concerning AI usage.

The publishing house of both titles, Quentin Wilson, stated that the prize committee amended the criteria in August, by which time the covers for all entered title 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 said.

Writers' Responses

The author expressed understanding for the prize administrators, stating she has deep concerns about AI in artistic industries, but was let down by the decision.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t sad about it,” she commented. “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.”

Johnson further stated that authors typically have little involvement in cover artwork and was did not know artificial intelligence had been employed for her book cover, which displays a feline with human-like 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 said, adding that unlike more tech-savvy age groups, she struggles to recognize computer-created images.

The writer worried that readers might think she employed artificial intelligence to compose her book, which she emphatically denied.

“Instead of talking about my book … and what the inspiration was, we are talking about bloody AI, which I hate.”

In a statement, Smither expressed that the artists spent considerable time crafting her publication's art, which features a locomotive and an angel partially hidden by smoke, inspired by painter the artist's figures.

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

Prize Trust's Position

The trust chair, head of the award foundation that oversees the prizes, affirmed the organization takes a “firm stance on the use of AI 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,” she said.

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

The move to revise the artificial intelligence criteria was motivated by a desire to protect the creative and intellectual property rights of the country's writers and artists, she added.

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

Publishing Reflections

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

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

Both Smither and Stephanie Johnson have previously served as judges for categories of the Ockham awards, and both stressed that cover designs get little attention during evaluation.

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

The use of AI in artistic fields has encountered growing scrutiny as the tech advances, with some organizations developing methods to address its impact.