🔗 Share this article

Two award-winning New Zealand authors have had their works excluded from contention for the nation's prestigious literature prize because of the use of artificial intelligence in creating their cover art.

Disqualification Details

Stephanie Johnson'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 fiction prize in the tenth month, but were disqualified the following thirty days due to new guidelines concerning artificial intelligence use.

The publisher of both books, Quentin Wilson, explained that the prize organizers amended the criteria in August, by which point the covers for all submitted title would have already been completed.

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

Authors' Responses

Johnson expressed understanding for the award administrators, stating she shares serious worries about AI in artistic fields, 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.”

Johnson added that writers typically have minimal input in book artwork and was unaware artificial intelligence had been used for her cover, which features a cat 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,” Johnson explained, adding that unlike younger generations, she finds it difficult to identify computer-created graphics.

Johnson feared that the public might think she employed AI to compose her book, which she categorically 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 said that the artists devoted considerable time creating her book's art, which features a locomotive and an celestial figure “half-obscured in the 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 book awards trust that oversees the prizes, affirmed the organization takes a “firm stance on the application 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 stated.

“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 driven by a desire to support the creative and copyright interests of the country's authors and artists, she added.

“As AI evolves, there may well be a need for the trust to revisit and develop the criteria further.”

Publishing Reflections

The publisher noted that publishers and authors regularly use software like Grammarly and image editors, which utilize AI, and this incident highlighted the pressing need for carefully crafted policies.

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

Both Elizabeth Smither and Johnson have in the past served as judges for sections of the prizes, and both emphasized that cover designs get minimal attention during evaluation.

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

The use of AI in creative sectors has encountered increasing examination as the tech progresses, with some groups developing ways to counter its influence.