In order to improve the path planning ability and efficiency of the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), an AUV path planning algorithm based on the community information transmission mechanism is proposed. Firstly, based on the community information transmission mechanism, the global short and long connection operators are designed to achieve the optimal search of the neighborhood of the planned path points and the probabilistic search outside the neighborhood. Then, the local short and long connection operators are designed, which implements the search for four boundary derived points of the path center point and the connections of feasible paths outside the derived points. Finally, the AUV path planning algorithm flow is completed. Six simulation and two seabed map simulation tests show that, compared with other algorithms, the algorithm has the advantages of strong planning ability, high planning efficiency, and smooth planning path.