Tiny image sparks big backlash in Nikon photo contest
Dr Ning Xu denies he broke the rules of Nikon's annual Small World In Motion contest.
The winner of Nikon's prestigious Small World In Motion photo contest is facing scrutiny after critics alleged the winning video was created using artificial intelligence. The annual competition, held for the past 15 years, accepts microscope photos and videos, with Nikon hosting the event. The champion entry was a short video captured by Dr Ning Xu, a researcher at Tsinghua University in China, showcasing minute, hair-like structures called cilia in a child's airways suffering from a rare condition.
Xu has not commented on the allegations but acknowledged he used AI during image processing without generating the footage or the cilia themselves with the technology. Controversial aspects of the video include shapes and movements that do not align with standard cell structures or behaviors, and an apparent size discrepancy among the cilia.
Critics also point to a watermark suggesting an AI-generated source. Two former judges expressed serious doubts about the video's authenticity. Despite the controversy, Nikon maintains that Xu adhered to the contest's rules, and the organization pledges to provide further updates on the matter.
Written by urgent.news from BBC Science's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
