Published : 09 Oct 2026, 11:20 PM
Updated : 09 Oct 2026, 11:20 PM
A prestigious scientific photography competition has stripped its winner of the top prize following an outcry from experts who discovered the entry was created using generative artificial intelligence.
Nikon announced the winning submission in its Small World In Motion contest--a competition dedicated to microscopic photography and videography--violated rules regarding AI use.
The entry, submitted by Dr Ning Xu of China’s Tsinghua University, purported to show microscopic, hair-like structures called cilia moving inside the airway of a child suffering from Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD), a rare respiratory condition, reports BBC.
Following the announcement, scientists and former competition judges raised concerns on social media, questioning the authenticity of the footage.
Dr Robert Hirst, lead scientist for the NHS centre for PCD diagnosis at the University of Leicester, was among the first to flag the issue.
"I knew immediately that the video was fabricated," Dr Hirst said, noting that he has spent two decades diagnosing the condition. "The cells and cilia look nothing like those from PCD patients."
Nikon stated the disqualification followed a thorough re-evaluation of the video and consultations with its judging panel.
The firm clarified that the ruling was strictly an enforcement of competition rules rather than an assessment of Dr Xu’s broader scientific career, according to BBC.
Dr Xu acknowledged using AI tools, maintaining that he believed he had worked within the competition's boundaries, and cooperated with the investigation.
Nikon confirmed it is now reviewing the rules and procedures for the annual contest, which has run for 15 years, to address the growing challenge of generative AI in scientific imaging.
