October 9, 2026
Nikon revokes first prize in contest: entry with generative AI broke the rules
On Oct 9, 2026, Nikon disqualified the first-place entry in the Small World in Motion contest: Nin Xu's work did not comply with the rules on generative AI. The decision came several weeks after the winner was announced.
Nin Xu says the work is based on real research recordings and that generative AI was used only for post-processing. Nikon disqualified the entry for not complying with the rules on generative AI.
Decision after the win. The disqualification came several weeks after the winner was announced. First place went to Nguyen Nam Nhat from Vietnam.
Nikon said Small World and Small World in Motion will revise their judging rules and procedures for future entries, because the development of AI and visualization calls for it.
The rules revision applies to future entries in both Small World competitions.
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