Spillover Effects of Artificial Intelligence Technology, Sustainable Innovation, and Industrial Transition Between Eastern and Western Regions

Chaobo Zhou ()
Additional contact information
Chaobo Zhou: College of International Economics and Trade, Ningbo University of Finance and Economics, Ningbo 315175, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 22, 1-29

Abstract: For a considerable period, China’s eastern and western regions have grappled with imbalances in industrial development, with industrial leapfrogging emerging as a pivotal solution. This study examines the impact of artificial intelligence technology spillovers and sustainable innovation on industrial leapfrogging between eastern and western regions. Empirical analysis is conducted using panel data from 22 provinces and municipalities across eastern and western China spanning 2014–2024, employing both a spatial difference-in-differences model and a dual machine learning model. Findings reveal that both AI technology spillovers and sustainable innovation significantly enhance the efficiency of industrial leapfrogging across regions. Their synergistic effects are pronounced, generating positive spatial spillovers. Institutional environments exert a significant influence on leapfrog industrial development. By regulating AI technology environments and sustainable innovation environments, institutional frameworks enhance leapfrogging efficiency, though this mediation exhibits a dual-threshold effect: most western provinces have yet to cross the first threshold. Industrial and economic heterogeneity weaken the efficiency of AI technology spillovers and sustainable innovation in facilitating industrial leapfrogging between eastern and western regions. This research provides robust empirical support for addressing industrial development imbalances and enhancing industrial resilience between eastern and western regions.

Keywords: industrial leapfrogging between eastern and western regions; artificial intelligence technology spillover effects; sustainable innovation; institutional environment; industrial resilience (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/22/10047/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/22/10047/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:22:p:10047-:d:1791639

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().