Artificial Intelligence and Enterprise Green Innovation: Intrinsic Mechanisms and Heterogeneous Effects

Enterprise green innovation (EGI) has become an essential measure for manufacturing enterprises to achieve sustainable development, and the application of artificial intelligence (AI) may become a new driving solution. This study empirically analyzes the impact and internal transmission mechanism of AI on EGI of Chinese manufacturing listed enterprises from 2010 to 2022. Research has found that (1) AI significantly impacts EGI, and this basic conclusion has passed various endogeneity and robustness tests. (2) The mechanism test results indicate that enterprise technological capability, innovation investment, and executives’ environmental awareness significantly mediate between AI and EGI. (3) Heterogeneity analysis shows that the significant positive impact of AI on EGI is only established in enterprises with overseas backgrounds, large-scale, highly competitive regional markets, and low-carbon pilot cities. The above conclusions have contributed essentially to the literature on EGI and AI.