Nikon disqualifies contest winner after AI use in microscopic video

In short: Nikon disqualified the original first place video in its Small World in Motion contest after saying it broke rules about generative AI.

What happened

Nikon said the video that originally won first place in its Small World in Motion contest did not follow the contest’s rules on generative AI, which is software that can create or change images and video.

The video, made by Dr. Ning Xu, claimed to show cilia, which are tiny hair-like structures, moving in the airway of a child with a respiratory condition called PCD, according to the BBC. After people online questioned whether the video was real, Nikon said last week that it was reviewing the entry.

In a comment on LinkedIn, Dr. Xu said AI was used during “post-processing,” meaning after the video was recorded, to help separate and show details in the images (like using a smart filter to make faint shapes easier to see). Nikon has now disqualified the video, and it appears to have been removed from Nikon’s website.

Nikon’s updated rankings show a different video, by Nguyen Nam Nhat, now in first place. Nikon also said it plans to revisit its rules and how it reviews entries for future contests.

Why it matters

These contests are meant to reward real scientific imaging, not just the best-looking results. As AI tools become more common, organizers may need clearer rules about what kind of editing is allowed, so viewers can trust that winning images and videos show what they claim to show.

Source: The Verge AI