Does regional AI development improve corporate supply chain efficiency? Evidence from China

Based on data from Chinese listed firms, this study examines how regional artificial intelligence (AI) development affects supply chain efficiency. The results show that regional AI development significantly improves efficiency by promoting digital transformation and reducing information asymmetry, with stronger effects observed in labor-intensive industries and inland regions. This study makes three key contributions. First, it extends the regional innovation systems perspective to the field of supply chain management by highlighting the spillover effects of regional AI ecosystems. Second, it supports the “latecomer advantage” in technology diffusion by analyzing industry and regional heterogeneity. Third, it reveals how external digital infrastructure and internal supply chain collaboration interact through the dual mechanisms of digitalization and information transparency.