Small World in Motion Winner Disqualified Over AI-Enhanced Microscopy Video
Nikon Instruments ruled that a winning video showing beating airway cilia did not comply with the competition’s ban on AI-generated videos.
A winning video showing an attack on airway cilia was disqualified from the Small World in Motion contest because it did not comply with competition rules.
Credit: Ning Xu/Nikon Small World
The winning entry in the prestigious Small World in Motion Microscopy competition has been disqualified after scientists raised concerns about how the video was created using artificial intelligence.
Winning microscopy video violated contest rules, Nikon says
Nikon Instruments, which runs the contest, said on October 9 that the winning video did not comply with the competition’s rules. According to the contest website, AI-generated videos are not allowed. Nikon described its decision in a statement.
The video was submitted by Ning Xu, an optical engineer at the National University of Singapore. It shows the movement of hair-like structures called cilia in the lungs and took the top spot in the competition on September 15. Several days later, scientists commented on LinkedIn that some features in the video appeared to be biologically impossible.
AI used to enhance features beneath airway cilia
In response, Xu wrote on LinkedIn that his team had used an AI model during post-processing to enhance the visual representation of the region beneath the cilia. He said this was done “without making any anatomical claims about what the rendered features represent.”
Those posts appeared below Nikon’s earlier LinkedIn announcement about Xu’s award, but they have since been deleted.
Nikon re-evaluated the submission
On September 25, a Nikon Small World spokesperson said the company was investigating the video. After re-evaluating the video and its supporting documentation and consulting a panel of judges, Nikon Instruments concluded that the winning entry did not comply with the contest rules.
“This decision is based solely on the eligibility of the submitted video under the rules outlined for this contest. It should not be construed as a judgment of the entrant’s professional reputation, scientific contributions, or intentions,” the company said.
Xu did not respond to requests for comment about Nikon’s decision to disqualify the entry. A spokesperson for the National University of Singapore said that Mr Ning Hsu had been participating in the competition before entering the university and that his submission was unrelated to his work at the institution.
Source: www.nature.com