Overview
- Nikon removed the previously announced first-place entry after a re-evaluation concluded the submission did not meet the competition’s rules on generative AI.
- The disqualified entry, submitted by Ning Xu, showed beating airway cilia, which are hair-like cell structures that move mucus in the lungs and were the subject of expert scrutiny for biologically implausible features.
- Microscopy researchers publicly flagged anomalies in the clip and Xu later acknowledged using an AI model in post-processing to enhance visualization while saying the model did not create the original motion.
- Nikon adjusted the rankings and named Nguyen Nam Nhat’s video of a tiny roundworm and a single-celled Dileptus as the new first-place winner, and the company said it will revisit contest rules and evaluation procedures.
- The episode has sharpened calls across the microscopy and scientific communities for clearer disclosure of AI processing, routine access to raw unprocessed files and stronger verification steps for imagery used as research data.