Nikon Disqualifies AI Generated Microscopy Video Winner

On Oct. 10, 2026, Nikon disqualified a winning entry from its Small World In Motion competition after finding the microscopy video used generative AI. The decision followed scientific concerns about the video's accuracy and led to a new winner being selected.

Nikon said the removed entry was created by Ning Xu, an optical engineering researcher at Tsinghua University in China at the time. The video showed airway cilia linked to primary ciliary dyskinesia, a rare genetic disease, magnified 100 times.

Nikon said the entry was ineligible under the competition rules and clarified that the decision did not assess the researcher's professional reputation or scientific contributions.

"did not comply with the competition rules regarding generative AI," said Nikon in a statement.

The disputed video used claims of complex light wave techniques to display different parts of a sample in color. Nikon's annual competition recognizes microscope-based photos and videos from participants worldwide.

Edward Phelps, an associate professor at Florida University, raised concerns about details in the imagery after commenting on a LinkedIn post by Nikon. He questioned whether structures in the video matched known biological behavior.

"do not behave as nuclei" said Edward Phelps, an associate professor at Florida University.

Phelps also raised concerns about the appearance and scale of the cilia shown in the entry. His comments contributed to wider discussion among members of the microscopy community.

"appear from nowhere and do not match the known size" said Edward Phelps, an associate professor at Florida University.

Researchers and clinicians involved in microscopy called for an external review of the winning work. An open letter urged Nikon to enforce its rules and included concerns about public understanding of primary ciliary dyskinesia.

"A potentially misleading portrayal of PCD is shaping public understanding of an already poorly understood rare disease," stated the microscopy community in an open letter.

After the controversy, Nikon awarded first place to Vietnamese researcher Nguyen Nam Nhat for a video showing a microscopic roundworm encountering a single-celled organism called a Dileptus. The video had initially placed second and the winner received a prize worth US$3,000.