Impact of intelligent transformation on the green innovation quality of Chinese enterprises: evidence from corporate green patent citation data

In the context of the rapid integration of artificial intelligence and the real economy, exploring the effects of intelligent transformation on the quality of green innovation in enterprises is of great practical significance. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the impact mechanism of intelligent transformation on the green innovation quality of enterprises based on panel data of listed enterprises in China from 2007–2019. We found that intelligent transformation promotes the improvement of corporate green innovation quality, and the results were robust. Furthermore, intelligent transformation improves the green innovation quality of enterprises through the mediating effects of human capital, research and development expenditure, information sharing effect and factor allocation efficiency. The development of the Internet, the implementation of the National Big Data Comprehensive Pilot Zone and the Broadband China strategy have all strengthened the green innovation quality improvement effect of intelligent transformation. The green innovation quality enhancement effect of intelligent transformation is heterogenous with regard to region, industry factor intensity, industry pollution level and enterprise ownership. Finally, this study provides important policy implications based on its empirical results. Future research should develop more suitable and comprehensive indicators, and focus on the latest data acquisition status to ensure timeliness.