Communist China is taking a new approach to censoring creative content: using artificial intelligence to change the storylines that it does not want to promote, rather than the old-fashioned method of cutting out the offending scenes. 

A Beijing-based film distributor, Hishow, has come under fire for using AI to change the gender of a character in a wedding in the Australian horror film “Together,” which follows the life of a young, same-sex couple.

The film was released in theaters in Communist China on September 12, and several weeks later social media users started to get wind of the AI change after screenshots of what was originally a same-sex wedding scene were shared online.

One user wrote on X, “ADAM AND STEVE TO ADAM AND EVE. Here’s a use of AI I bet you never thought of! The horror film ‘Together’ featured a gay couple in a peripheral role (see below) that got magicked into a straight couple in the Chinese edition.”

The screenshot showed that one of the male actors’ faces had been altered to make him appear to be a woman. 

Beijing has strict censorship requirements for movies. Hollywood has come under fire in recent years for caving to demands from censorship officials and altering movies. Paramount faced backlash after movie fans noticed that a trailer for the “Top Gun” sequel removed Taiwan’s flag from actor Tom Cruise’s bomber jacket in the movie. The Taiwan flag patch was added back in, but the movie was never approved to be shown in Communist China. 

Same-sex relationships have been decriminalized in China. However, Beijing has promoted heterosexual relationships and has censored LGBTQ plot lines. In 2022, CNN reported that Chinese streaming platforms removed an “LGBTQ plot line” from the TV series “Friends.” And China’s TV regulator said in 2021 that broadcasters must “resolutely put an end to sissy men and other abnormal esthetics.” 

While the censorship rules have been widely known about, the decision to simply change a movie without the creator’s approval sparked alarm. Some social media users suggested that the film distributor could have chosen not to show the movie if it thought the same-sex wedding was a problem. 

The global distributor of “Together,” Neon, condemned the AI change. In a statement, the distributor said, “Neon does not approve of Hishow’s unauthorized edit of the film and have demanded they cease distributing this altered version.”

The film’s director, Michael Shanks, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, “I understand the reasons behind [censoring] that.” However, he said, “To completely change the gender of a character — completely change something that’s a representation of a queer relationship as well as making the plot make less sense — is just baffling.”

“It’s glaringly strange — this sort of homunculus face that’s on this performer,” Mr. Shanks added. 

He said that the movie will no longer be shown in Communist China.

His show did not respond to the Sun’s request for comment by the time of publication.