Nikon has disqualified the winner of its prestigious Small World In Motion microscopy competition after determining that generative artificial intelligence was improperly used in creating the winning video submission. The decision came following complaints from scientists and former competition judges who questioned the authenticity of the entry.
The winning submission came from Dr Ning Xu of Tsinghua University in China, who presented a video depicting cilia—tiny, hair-like structures—moving within the airways of a child with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), a respiratory condition affecting the body's ability to clear mucus. Nikon announced on 15 September that Xu's entry had won the 16th annual competition, but the firm later determined the work violated contest rules governing artificial intelligence use.
In a statement, Nikon said the video "did not comply with the competition rules regarding generative AI" but clarified this was not a judgment on the entrant's professional standing or scientific work. The company indicated it would review and potentially revise the contest's rules and evaluation procedures, which have governed the annual competition for 15 years.
How did the controversy emerge?
Multiple scientists, including former members of the competition's judging panel, raised concerns on Nikon's LinkedIn page that the video appeared fabricated rather than authentically captured through microscopy. Dr Robert Hirst, a scientist at the University of Leicester and lead researcher for the NHS centre for PCD diagnosis, was among the first experts to publicly question the submission's validity.
Hirst stated he was "not surprised" by the disqualification and "knew immediately that the video was fabricated." Drawing on two decades of experience diagnosing PCD by examining cilia characteristics including waveform, length, cell size and shape, Hirst observed that the cells and cilia in Xu's video "look nothing like those from PCD patients." He emphasized that the controversy had affected patients, scientists, doctors and PCD support networks globally.
What did the entrant say about AI use?
Xu acknowledged incorporating artificial intelligence into his submission but maintained he believed his approach complied with the competition's rules at the time of entry. According to reporting in a scientific journal, Xu's team employed an unsupervised neural network following microscopy to process reconstructed grayscale data, enhancing visual features and making the video more visually striking. Xu stated that rendered regions appearing below the cilia were not intended as anatomical representations.
Initially, Nikon's earlier position held that AI-assisted enhancement of microscopy-generated source material, rather than image generation from scratch, fell within acceptable contest parameters. The company characterized the described methods as technically sound and consistent with established microscopy practices. However, Nikon subsequently reversed this determination following further investigation.
Xu cooperated with Nikon's review process, and the company stated it reached its decision "after thoroughly re-evaluating the video and supporting materials and consulting with members of our judging panel."
What evidence prompted the reversal?
Technical analysis contributed to Nikon's reassessment. Ian Donovan, an MD/PhD student at UT Southwestern Medical Center, reported that Google Gemini detected a SynthID watermark in the video, indicating that portions of the file had been AI-generated or altered. SynthID is Google's digital watermarking system designed to identify AI-created content.
What happens to the competition now?
Following the disqualification, Nikon's official contest page now lists Jay McClellan as the 2025 Small World in Motion first-place winner, replacing Xu's entry. McClellan's winning video showcased self-pollination in a thymeleaf speedwell flower.
Nikon indicated it would undertake a comprehensive review of the Small World In Motion competition's rules and procedures to prevent similar incidents. The contest, which has operated for 15 years, specifically focuses on microscopic imagery captured through powerful microscopes and has become a prestigious venue for scientific photographers and researchers worldwide.
Key Facts
- Nikon disqualified Dr Ning Xu's winning video after determining it violated rules on generative AI use in the Small World In Motion microscopy competition
- Scientists including Dr Robert Hirst, a PCD diagnosis specialist, questioned the video's authenticity, noting the cilia structures did not resemble those found in actual PCD patients
- Xu acknowledged using an unsupervised neural network to enhance microscopy data but maintained he acted within the rules as he understood them
- Technical analysis detected a SynthID watermark suggesting AI generation or alteration of portions of the video file
- Jay McClellan's video of flower self-pollination has replaced Xu's entry as the official 2025 competition winner
