Nikon disqualifies microscopy video winner under its AI rules

Nikon has disqualified the original first-place winner of its 2026 Small World in Motion competition after deciding that the submitted video did not comply with its rules on generative AI. The decision concerns eligibility for a microscopy video prize. Nikon expressly said it was not judging the entrant's scientific contributions or intent.

The video by Dr Ning Xu had been awarded first place in September for its depiction of beating airway cilia, the hair-like structures on cells that help move material through the airways. On October 9, PetaPixel reported a statement from a Nikon spokesperson saying the company had re-evaluated the video and supporting materials and consulted members of its judging panel. Nikon then changed the rankings, putting Nguyen Nam Nhat's video of a roundworm and a single-celled Dileptus in first place, according to that report.

The big change

• What changed: Nikon withdrew a first-place award after finding the submitted video ineligible under its generative-AI rules and revised the competition rankings.
• Who it affects: Researchers and science communicators entering image competitions need to distinguish the recorded observation from any AI processing used to make a submission. Nikon's rule page available now prohibits AI-generated video but gives little detail about the boundary for AI-assisted processing.
• What to watch: Nikon says the case has shown a need to revisit its rules and evaluation procedures. Any revised wording could clarify what processing entrants must disclose or document; Nikon has not announced a specific new standard in the cited statement.

What Nikon's rule says

The Small World in Motion rule page available now says that “AI generated videos are not permitted” and that Nikon may request the original video for verification. It also requires entrants to capture video with a light microscope. The page displays 2027 entry dates, so it is not a dated record of the precise 2026 rule text. Its guidelines do not spell out which AI-assisted changes to a recorded video are acceptable, or state a threshold at which enhancement becomes generation. Nikon's October 9 statement, reported by PetaPixel, establishes that Nikon applied its generative-AI rules to disqualify this 2026 entry.

Nikon's spokesperson told PetaPixel that the decision was based solely on the submitted video's eligibility. The company did not publicly describe, in that statement, which frames or processing steps led to its conclusion. PetaPixel reported that Xu had acknowledged using AI in post-processing while denying that he broke the competition rule. The public account therefore establishes Nikon's decision and Xu's reported position, without settling the exact processing boundary for other entrants.

The distinction matters when a scientific image is also a public-facing illustration. A contest can decide whether an entry meets its presentation rules; assessing a biological observation would require evidence about the original recording and the scientific work behind it. Nikon's statement did not say the observation of airway cilia was false. Its promised review of the rules is the next concrete step for entrants seeking a more precise standard.

Sources & further reading

• Nikon Small World in Motion official rules: Current rule page stating the AI-generated-video prohibition, original-video verification right and light-microscope requirement. It displays 2027 entry dates and is not a dated copy of the 2026 rules.
• PetaPixel's October 9 report: Provides Nikon's spokesperson statement, the reported ranking change and Xu's reported response. Nikon's statement limits its finding to competition eligibility.
• Nikon's 2026 Small World in Motion gallery: Official competition gallery for checking the current award display. Direct retrieval was unavailable during this draft, so the ranking detail above is attributed to PetaPixel.