Vietnamese Scientist Wins Nikon Small World in Motion After AI Disqualification

Tendela Briefing · 10 Oct 2026 · 21:00 UTC

Image: Ars Technica · Source

Nguyen Nam Nhat's video of a roundworm and a single-celled organism is awarded first place following disqualification of the original winner for breaching AI usage rules.

The 2026 Nikon Small World in Motion competition has a new winner after the initial first-place video was disqualified for violating rules concerning artificial intelligence (AI) use. Nguyen Nam Nhat from Vietnam has been awarded the top prize for his microscopic video showing a roundworm alongside a single-celled organism, Dileptus.

Earlier, Ning Xu from Tsinghua University in China was declared the winner for a video capturing cilia movement in the airways of a child with a rare respiratory disorder. However, allegations arose that Xu employed AI technology in a manner inconsistent with the competition’s guidelines. An investigation by Nikon confirmed that Xu’s entry did not comply with the contest’s regulations regarding generative AI.

Some scientists and observers raised doubts about the authenticity of Xu’s imagery, noting unusual cellular features and possible AI watermarks embedded in the source files. Xu acknowledged using AI to aid visualization but denied using it to generate the experimental footage or to simulate cilia motion.

With Xu’s disqualification, other competitors advanced in the rankings. Benedikt Pleyer of Germany now holds second place for a video of jellyfish larvae in water droplets. Andrew Moore of the United States is third for cellular division footage, followed by Patrick Hickey of Scotland with plant cell dynamics, and Igor Adameyko for a vibrant sea slug video.

The Nikon Small World in Motion competition, established in 2011 as a companion to the longer-running still-photo contest, celebrates microscopic videography showcasing the intricate beauty of nature at small scales. Nikon acknowledged that rapidly evolving imaging and AI technologies present new challenges and emphasized their commitment to maintaining integrity and fairness by revisiting competition rules.

Nikon stated their decision was based solely on adherence to competition rules and should not reflect negatively on the entrant’s professional standing or intent. The company reaffirmed its dedication to upholding artistic and scientific excellence in microscopy imagery.