Nikon rescinded its top prize in the Small World in Motion contest after determining that optical engineer Ning Xu violated rules banning generative AI. External scientists flagged severe biological impossibilities in Xu's video of airway cilia, including disappearing organelles and embedded AI watermarks. Xu maintained he used neural networks solely for enhancement, but Nikon revised its rankings, elevating Vietnamese microbiologist Nguyen Nam Nhat to first place.
Nikon disqualifies winner and updates results
- ▪Following Ning Xu's disqualification, Benedikt Pleyer placed second, Andrew Moore placed third, Patrick Hickey placed fourth, and Igor Adameyko placed fifth in the updated Small World in Motion competition rankings
- ▪Nikon disqualified original first-place winner Ning Xu from its Small World in Motion competition on October 9, 2026 after determining his video entry showing cilia in a child's airway violated rules prohibiting generative artificial intelligence
- ▪Nguyen Nam Nhat, a microbiologist based in Vietnam, was awarded first place in the Small World in Motion competition following the disqualification of Ning Xu
Nikon's statement on disqualification
- ▪Nikon stated that the disqualification of Ning Xu from its Small World in Motion competition was based solely on competition eligibility rules and should not be interpreted as a judgment of his professional reputation, scientific contributions, or intent
- ▪Nikon re-evaluated Ning Xu's winning video and supporting materials in consultation with its judging panel before making its final disqualification decision
Evidence and doubts regarding AI generation
- ▪Researchers reviewing source files of Ning Xu's Small World in Motion winning entry spotted what appeared to be embedded AI watermarks within the video data
- ▪Dr. Robert Hirst, lead scientist for the NHS centre for primary ciliary dyskinesia diagnosis at the University of Leicester, stated that the cells and cilia in Ning Xu's Small World in Motion video looked nothing like those from actual patients
- ▪Scientists and former judges raised doubts on social media platforms Bluesky and LinkedIn, pointing out physical inconsistencies such as cell organelles like nuclei and mitochondria randomly disappearing and reappearing
Ning Xu's response to allegations
- ▪Ning Xu cooperated with Nikon's investigation into his video entry after questions were raised about his use of artificial intelligence
- ▪Ning Xu acknowledged using an unsupervised neural-network method for post-processing and feature visualization in grayscale images, but denied using AI to generate the experimental movie, cilia, or their motion
Nikon rules on AI usage
- ▪Nikon competition rules permit AI enhancement of microscopy-generated source data, but explicitly forbid generating images or video content from scratch
- ▪Nikon Small World in Motion rules explicitly ban AI-generated videos and reserve the right for sponsors to request original video files for verification
- ▪Nikon announced plans to review and revisit competition rules and evaluation procedures for future entries following Ning Xu's disqualification
Expert opinions on AI in microscopy
- ▪Aydogan Ozcan, an expert in computational imaging at UCLA, stated that AI improves resolution and contrast in microscopic imaging, but its usage requires explicit disclosure
- ▪Aydogan Ozcan noted that problems arise when generative AI hallucinates cellular structures that are not actually present in scientific imaging source data
Debatable claims
- ▪Neural network post-processing creates unacceptable risks of hallucinating biological structures in scientific microscopy
- ▪Nikon's disqualification of Ning Xu was justified by the video's violation of generative AI rules
- ▪Nikon bears primary responsibility for failing to detect AI manipulation prior to announcing its winner
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