Pathways Linking Artificial Intelligence to Carbon Emission Reduction: A Green Technology Innovation Perspective

In the context of global climate change and the development of artificial intelligence, understanding the impact mechanism of artificial intelligence on carbon emissions is of great practical significance. This paper employs a mediating model and a panel data approach to analyze data from 2010 to 2022 of listed companies in China, analyzing how artificial intelligence affects firms’ carbon emissions at the micro level, while further exploring the intermediary role of green technology innovation. The study found that: First, enterprises can significantly promote carbon emission reduction using artificial intelligence technology, and the association between AI advancement and carbon emissions follows an inverted U-shaped pattern; Second, green innovation serves as an important intermediary channel through which AI affects firms’ carbon emissions; Third, substantial variation exists in the impact of artificial intelligence on corporate carbon emissions, and enterprises in the central and western regions have lower thresholds for carbon emission reduction compared with enterprises in the eastern areas, and the carbon emission reduction effect is more significant. Based on the above conclusions, the following recommendations are put forward: First, rationally plan artificial intelligence investment and accelerate the crossing of carbon emission reduction threshold; Second, AI should be used to empower green technology innovation and give full play to the mediating role of green technology innovation; Third, differentiation strategies should be formulated based on the specific development characteristics of enterprise artificial intelligence.