Authors Removed from Aotearoa's Top Book Award Following Artificial Intelligence Usage in Cover Designs
Two award-winning Kiwi authors have had their books disqualified from consideration for the nation's prestigious literature prize due to the use of artificial intelligence in creating their cover art.
Exclusion Details
The author's story compilation "Obligate Carnivore" and the writer's novella set "Angel Train" were entered for the 2026 Ockham book awards and its $65,000 New Zealand dollar fiction prize in October, but were disqualified the following month due to new rules regarding artificial intelligence usage.
The publishing house of the two books, Quentin Wilson, explained that the prize committee updated the criteria in the eighth month, by which point the cover designs for every submitted book would have previously been completed.
“Consequently, it was much too late for publishers to incorporate this new rule into their design plans,” Wilson said.
Writers' Reactions
The author expressed sympathy for the prize organizers, saying 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 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 further stated that authors typically have minimal involvement in cover design and was did not know artificial intelligence had been used for her book cover, which displays 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,” the author said, noting that unlike younger age groups, she finds it difficult to identify AI-generated images.
The writer worried that readers might assume she used artificial intelligence to write her book, which she emphatically denied.
“Rather than discussing my book's themes and inspirations, we're focused on this AI issue, which I despise.”
In a statement, Elizabeth Smither expressed that the artists spent hours creating her book's art, which features a steam train and an celestial figure “half-obscured in the smoke”, influenced by artist Marc Chagall's imagery.
“My primary concern is for the designers: their careful, detailed work … is not being respected,” Smither stated.
Prize Trust's Stance
Nicola Legat, chair of the award foundation that administers the Ockham awards, affirmed the trust takes a strong position on the application of artificial intelligence in books.”
“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.
“Nevertheless, the rules apply equally to every participant, no matter their standing, and must be enforced uniformly.”
The decision to amend the AI guidelines was driven by a desire to protect the creative and intellectual property rights of the country's writers and artists, she explained.
“As AI evolves, there may well be a need for the trust to revisit and develop the criteria further.”
Publishing Considerations
Wilson pointed out that publishers and writers regularly employ software like Grammarly and image editors, which incorporate artificial intelligence, and this situation highlighted the pressing requirement for carefully crafted guidelines.
“As an industry, we must work together to ensure that this situation does not happen again.”
Both Smither and Johnson have previously served as judges for categories of the Ockham awards, and both emphasized that covers get minimal attention during evaluation.
“The contents and the close reading were everything,” Smither concluded.
The application of artificial intelligence in artistic fields has encountered growing examination as the technology progresses, with some organizations creating ways to counter its influence.