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.
A short video has sparked controversy in Nikon's annual Small World In Motion contest, after scientists criticized its creation using artificial intelligence. The winning entry, submitted by Dr Ning Xu from Tsinghua University in China, purportedly depicts hair-like structures called cilia moving within the airways of a child with a rare condition.
Though Xu maintains he abided by the contest's rules, critics argue the video contains shapes and movements inconsistent with normal cellular behavior, and that the cilia appear unnaturally large. Nikon spokespersons assert they are conducting a thorough investigation into the matter and have received additional technical documents from Xu.
The 2026 contest runner-up, Dr Patrick Hickey, expressed regret should the winning video be deemed unfairly altered by AI, emphasizing the significance of such recognition for microscopy researchers. Nikon has not yet revised its contest rules, stating it currently sees no rule violations.
Written by urgent.news from BBC Technology's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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