Nikon disqualifies prize-winning image after finding it was AI-generated

Nikon has disqualified the winner of a prestigious scientific photography competition after concerns were raised by scientists over the authenticity of the entry.

The company said the video violated the rules of its Small World In Motion contest, which showcases photographs and videos captured using powerful microscopes, because generative artificial intelligence was used in its creation, reports BBC.

However, Nikon clarified that the decision was not a judgement on the entrant's professional reputation or scientific contributions.

The company said it reached the decision after reviewing the video and supporting materials in detail and consulting members of the judging panel. It also announced plans to review the rules and procedures of the annual competition, which has been running for 15 years and focuses on microscopic imagery.

The disqualified entry was submitted by Dr Ning Xu of Tsinghua University in China. It featured tiny, hair-like structures known as cilia moving in the airway of a child with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), a respiratory condition.

The BBC has contacted Xu for comment.

Several scientists, including former competition judges, questioned the video's authenticity in comments on Nikon's LinkedIn page. Xu had acknowledged using AI but said he believed his submission complied with the rules and cooperated with Nikon's investigation.

Dr Robert Hirst, a University of Leicester scientist who was among the first to raise concerns, said he was not surprised by the decision, adding that he immediately recognised the video as fabricated.

Hirst, who has spent 20 years diagnosing PCD by examining cilia movement patterns, length, and cell size and shape, said the cells and cilia shown in the video bore little resemblance to those of PCD patients.

He leads the NHS centre for PCD diagnosis at the university and said the controversy had affected patients, scientists, doctors and PCD support networks worldwide.