Moving forward, the Nebula Awards have implemented a new policy that disqualifies any works associated with generative AI from being considered for nominations or winning. Kate Risatu, the president of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA), emphasized the awards’ stance on large language model tools (LLMs) during a recent statement. Following the principle of trusting the voters, SFWA declared that any works created entirely using generative LLM tools would not be eligible for consideration. Additionally, if a work utilized LLMs at any stage of its creation process, this information must be disclosed in the ballot.
The second part of these regulations sparked debate online, with numerous authors and fans criticizing SFWA for what they perceived as a partial stance against generative AI and LLMs. In response to the backlash, the association issued a revised statement clarifying that works written “either wholly or partially” with such technology would be ineligible for the Nebula Awards. Authors who employed LLMs in their writing process are required to disclose this fact upon receiving a nomination, after which they will be disqualified from consideration.
Acknowledging that the initial rules did not align with their current policies and values, SFWA stated that they do not endorse the use of generative LLM models in creative work. They announced plans to update the posted rules to reflect this position in the near future.
Generative AI and LLMs have sparked controversy within creative communities like writing and video games. Recently, Larian Studios faced criticism following remarks by founder Swen Vincke regarding their use of generative AI for various purposes, including idea exploration and concept development. Despite this, Vincke clarified that AI-generated content would not feature in their upcoming game Divinity, emphasizing that machine-learning tools are meant to complement rather than replace human creativity.
In response to the backlash, Vincke announced an upcoming Reddit AMA featuring Larian staff to provide further insight into their development process post-holiday break. The date and participants for this event will be disclosed in the new year.
The winners of the 2026 Nebula Awards will be announced during the awards conference in Chicago from June 5 to June 7.