The Impact of Artificial Intelligence Policies on Manufacturing Companies’ Environmental Information Disclosure

Environmental information disclosure is a critical pathway for manufacturing enterprises to advance the modern environmental governance system. Using the New-Generation Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Development Pilot Zones (NAIDP) as a quasi-natural experiment, this study employs panel data of Chinese A-share listed manufacturing firms from 2011 to 2023 to investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of the NAIDP on corporate environmental information disclosure. The results indicate that the NAIDP significantly enhances enterprises’ environmental information disclosure, and this positive effect is more salient for non-state-owned, superior digital infrastructure, and non-heavy-pollution enterprises. Mechanism tests demonstrate that the NAIDP functions by mitigating information asymmetry and enhancing internal control. Further analysis of the moderating effect suggests that management’s environmental awareness and regional environmental regulation intensity positively strengthen the promotional effect of the NAIDP. This study not only supplements micro-level empirical evidence for the environmental governance effect of artificial intelligence applications but also provides practical insights for policy optimization to facilitate the green transformation of the manufacturing industry.