The green innovation effect of industrial robot applications: Evidence from Chinese manufacturing companies

Xiaoqian Liu, Javier Cifuentes-Faura, Xiaodong Yang and Junyu Pan

Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 2025, vol. 210, issue C

Abstract: Artificial intelligence has emerged to revolutionize society in China. Investigating whether industrial robot applications (IRAs) can contribute to Chinese economic prosperity has significant theoretical and practical significance. For this purpose, this study estimates the impact of IRAs on green innovation by decomposing the industry robot stock to the corporate level using global industry robot data and manufacturing data from Chinese manufacturing listed companies by constructing a Bartik instrumental variable. The results show that IRAs notably promote corporate green innovation. However, IRAs do not contribute equally to all corporations in green creation. Its effects on green innovation are mainly observed in larger corporations, technology-intensive industries, and corporations located in developed cities. Digital transformation, management efficiency, and CEO's information technology (IT) background can further strengthen the green innovation effect of IRAs. We conclude that the rational exploitation of artificial intelligence drives the economy towards green development.

Keywords: Industrial robot applications; Green innovation; Robot exposure; Batik instrumental variable (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:tefoso:v:210:y:2025:i:c:s0040162524007029

DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2024.123904

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