Can industrial robots boost carbon total factor productivity? – Evidence from China

Industrial robots are essential for improving productivity and optimizing resource allocation. They help to reduce dependence on traditional labor- and energy-intensive manufacturing methods. While promoting industrial automation, industrial robots have become an important technology for achieving green transformation. Using data from 30 provinces in China from the period 2006 to 2019, this paper examines whether industrial robot applications can enhance Carbon Total Factor Productivity (CTFP). We find that industrial robot applications help to promote CTFP. The robustness test indicates that this result is consistent, while the heterogeneity test shows that the effect of industrial robot applications on CTFP is mainly concentrated in labor-intensive industries, as well as in regions with low technical complexity and strong policy support from the local government. The mechanism test reveals that industrial robot applications can enhance CTFP by enhancing technological innovation and improving human–machine matching.