Chinese web giant Tencent has floated the idea of banning AI-generated videos from its Weixin Channel service, citing low-quality content.
Weixin Channel is a video-sharing service integrated with WeChat, a service that combines messaging, social media and e-commerce. WeChat's huge user base – more than a billion Chinese citizens use the app – means it has a central place in online life in China, and it has also established Tencent as a local internet giant.
One form of content distributed by Weixin Channels is “livestream,” which is the Chinese term for infomercials. Livestreams are extremely popular in China, and during the country's major online sales, it's not uncommon to see Western celebrities promoting various products.
The Chinese government is not fond of livestreaming and has so far tried to ensure that it is not too risqué, does not feature creators asking for gifts, and is not a vehicle for tax evasion.
When China cracked down on web giants to curb the explosion of freedom of expression online, Tencent was no exception, but it must be well aware that Beijing wants to ensure that live streaming is healthy and fair.
This may be why Chinese media have reported that WeChat recently introduced new legal language on its service that designates livestreams with AI-generated avatars as “low-quality” content and bans the sale of software that can generate “virtual humans.” Anyone who violates the policy will have their content made harder to find or will have their account deleted.
The Chinese government has emphasized the word “high quality” in many of its policy announcements, and it seems no coincidence that Tencent would suggest that AI-generated videos are “low quality.”
The policy proposal therefore also signals that Tencent understands that China wants to prevent the advent of generative AI from leading to an explosion of problematic content.
But Beijing is generally very enthusiastic about AI: The technology is regularly touted for its potential to boost local industries and improve society, and is a big part of China's military development plans.
This particular goal has been cited by the United States and other countries as justification for sanctions that would mean China will not be allowed to import cutting-edge silicon used to power AI applications.
If Tencent's policy is adopted, even the low-end GPUs and related kit needed to make Video Nasty could find it harder to gain acceptance in the Chinese market.®
