The role of leading companies in artificial intelligence applications

Baizhen Zhang () and BiYu Peng ()
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Baizhen Zhang: South China Normal University
BiYu Peng: South China Normal University

The Journal of Technology Transfer, 2025, vol. 50, issue 5, No 2, 1919-1946

Abstract: Abstract As the “pioneers” and “guides” of artificial intelligence technology, leading companies play a crucial role in overcoming technical bottlenecks and driving high-quality industrial development. This paper, based on the distinction between leading and follower companies, constructs AI indicators through text analysis and machine learning methods to empirically examine the impact of leading companies on the AI development of follower companies. The study finds that: (1) The degree of AI application by leading companies significantly enhances the AI technology level of follower companies. For every one standard deviation increase in the AI degree of leading companies, the AI technology level of follower companies in the same industry increases by 16.75%. Moreover this study extracted all announcements containing phrases such as “strategic alliance,” “strategic cooperation,” and "business alliance" from over 3.208 million announcements on the JUCHAO website and further filtered to select those strategic alliances focusing on artificial intelligence as their cooperation content, identifying them as artificial intelligence strategic alliances. Using these as instrumental variables to address endogeneity and conducting a series of robustness tests, the conclusion remains valid. (2) Mechanism analysis shows that leading companies exert influence mainly through demonstration effects, spillover effects, and competitive effects, with positive demonstration and spillover effects outweighing negative competitive effects. (3) The study also finds that leading companies in regions with better digital infrastructure, in nationally key supported industries, and with state ownership have a greater promoting effect on the AI technology of follower companies.

Keywords: Leading companies; Following companies; Artificial intelligence; Intellectual property protection; Digital strategic alliances (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D22 L22 O32 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s10961-024-10163-w

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