Prize-winning image which sparked backlash was AI-generated, Nikon rules
The camera-maker says it is now re-evaluating the rules and procedures of its Small World in Motion contest.
A prize-winning image that ignited controversy was revealed to be AI-generated, according to Nikon's official statement. The Small World In Motion contest, which Nikon organizes annually for five years, accepts photographs and videos produced using advanced microscopes. The company disqualifies the winning entry after receiving complaints from scientists who doubted its authenticity.
Dr. Ning Xu, a researcher from Tsinghua University in China, was the creator of the winning video, which showcased minute hair-like structures called cilia moving in a child's airways, who suffers from PCD (Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia). Despite acknowledging the use of AI, Xu believed he had complied with the rules when submitting his entry.
However, numerous experts, including former competition judges, denounced the video as fabricated, expressing their concerns on Nikon's LinkedIn page. Dr. Robert Hirst, a scientist from the University of Leicester and one of the first to voice his doubts, stated that he had been diagnosing PCD for two decades and immediately recognized the video as fabricated.
He explained that the cells and cilia in the video appeared nothing like those from PCD patients. The controversy surrounding the winning entry has affected patients, scientists, doctors, and PCD support networks worldwide. Nikon has now decided to review its rules and procedures for the upcoming contest, which aims to highlight microscopic images.
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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