AI-Made Book Covers Lead to Disqualifications in New Zealand Competition

A New Zealand book competition has introduced a new rule banning the use of AI-generated material. Under the rule, any book containing AI-created content—whether in the writing, artwork, or design—must be disqualified.

This year, two books were removed from consideration after judges discovered their covers had been made with AI. According to the books’ publisher, Quentin Wilson Publishing, the team hadn’t known about the updated rule when they submitted the titles.

One of the covers shows a green-eyed cat with oddly human-like teeth, while the other features an angel flying above a yellow freight train. Both images were created with AI tools.

Publisher Quentin Wilson said in an email that the situation was “heartbreaking” for the authors, who did not use AI in their writing, and difficult for the designers who worked on the projects. He added that the fast rise of AI has placed the publishing world in “uncharted waters,” with many people still trying to understand how these tools fit into creative work.

The disqualifications highlight the growing debate over AI in the arts, as competitions and creators work to set clear rules about what counts as human-made.