Ning Xu

Ning Xu's entry won Nikon Instruments' Small World in Motion microscopy video competition, but it has been ruled ineligible after organizers determined it used generative AI. A contest spokesperson confirmed the disqualification to Gizmodo. The case is drawing attention as scientific imaging contests grapple with how to judge entries created with AI tools.

Nikon has stripped the first-place entry in its Small World in Motion microscopy video competition of its title after determining the winner, Dr. Ning Xu, used generative AI in post-processing. The company said the video did not comply with contest rules. The case is fueling wider debate over how scientific imaging contests should define and police acceptable use of AI tools.

Nikon says the video that originally won first place in its Small World in Motion microscopy contest did not comply with competition rules on generative AI. The entry, by Dr. Ning Xu, claimed to show tiny hair-like structures called cilia, but Nikon determined it violated the rules, and the first-place award has been affected as the incident draws scrutiny.