Nikon Disqualifies Small World in Motion Winner Over Generative AI

Summary

As of October 9, 2026, Nikon has disqualified Ning Xu of Tsinghua University from its Small World in Motion competition after reviewing his video and supporting materials with judges. Researchers had flagged structural abnormalities, cellular features appearing and disappearing unnaturally, and apparent AI watermarks in source files. Xu said AI distinguished and visualized features in reconstructed grayscale images, but denied using it to generate the experimental movie, cilia or motion. The video showed airway cilia in a child with a rare respiratory disorder. Nikon said the entry violated generative AI rules, but stressed that the eligibility decision did not judge Xu’s intent, reputation or scientific contributions.

Nguyen Nam Nhat of Vietnam is the new winner for footage of a tiny roundworm and a single-celled organism. Benedikt Pleyer of Bavaria, Germany, moves to second for jellyfish larvae in water droplets. Andrew Moore of Howard Hughes Medical Institute in the US takes third for synchronized division in neighboring cells. Patrick Hickey of Hypha Research Ltd. in Edinburgh, Scotland, takes fourth for mitochondria and chloroplast dynamics in Turtle Vine leaf cells. Igor Adameyko takes fifth for a moving, colorful sea slug, Cyerce kikutarobabai.

Founded in 2011, Small World in Motion is the video spinoff of Nikon’s Small World Photomicrography Competition, established in 1974. The contests showcase light microscopy through still photographs, videos and time-lapse imaging. Nikon has updated the rankings and plans to revisit entry rules and evaluation procedures as imaging and AI technologies evolve.