Nikon has removed the original first-place entry from its Small World in Motion contest after determining the submission breached the competition’s generative-AI rule. The adjustment promoted Nguyen Nam Nhat of Vietnam to the top spot. The Small World in Motion contest, launched in 2011, is a spin-off of Nikon’s Small World photomicrography competition that has run since 1974. Both contests aim to reveal microscopic beauty through advanced imaging.
Nguyen’s winning entry captures a roundworm and the single-celled organism Dileptus in a high-resolution video that highlights their movement and morphology. The footage was recorded through a light microscope, demonstrating the level of detail that modern imaging systems can achieve without artificial-intelligence augmentation. Nikon’s judges praised the scientific clarity and visual appeal of the material, noting that it exemplifies the competition’s goal of showcasing microscopic complexity.
The reshuffle also moved other finalists up one rank. Benedikt Pleyer of Bavaria, Germany, now holds second place with a video of jellyfish larvae suspended in water droplets. Andrew Moore of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in the United States occupies third, presenting synchronized cell division among neighboring cells. Fourth place goes to Patrick Hickey of Hypha Research Ltd. in Edinburgh, Scotland, whose footage follows mitochondrial and chloroplast dynamics inside Turtle Vine leaf cells. Igor Adameyko remains fifth with a moving view of the colorful sea slug Cyerce kikutarobabai.
Nikon’s review team re-examined the disqualified video and its accompanying documentation, consulting members of the judging panel before concluding the entry violated the AI-use policy. The company announced that the rankings on its website have been updated to reflect the decision. The ruling was based solely on compliance with the competition’s eligibility criteria, according to Nikon’s statement.
In its public comment, Nikon clarified that the disqualification “should not be interpreted as a judgment of the entrant’s professional reputation, scientific contributions, or intent.” The organization emphasized that the action targets rule adherence rather than personal merit. This language seeks to separate the procedural outcome from any assessment of the scientist’s broader work.
The incident underscores how rapid advances in imaging and artificial-intelligence tools are creating new governance challenges for scientific competitions. Nikon indicated that the episode will prompt a review of its rules and evaluation procedures for future submissions. By reinforcing eligibility standards, the competition aims to preserve the integrity of both scientific and artistic microscopy while adapting to evolving technological capabilities.