Study on the Effect of Artificial Intelligence Development on Urban Air Pollution: Evidence from 226cities of China

Yanjun Zhang

doi:10.54097/6xfrtj95

Authors

Yanjun Zhang College of International Tourism and Public Administration, Hainan University, Haikou, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54097/6xfrtj95

Keywords:

China; City; Artificial Intelligence Development; Air Pollution.

Abstract

Investigating the impact of AI development on urban air pollution holds practical significance for better leveraging AI’s role in air pollution governance. Using panel data of 226 Chinese cities from 2010 to 2023, we first employ the entropy weight-TOPSIS method to evaluate AI advancement, then apply fixed effects and spatial Durbin models for analysis. Key findings: First, China’s AI development shows an upward trend but marked regional disparities. Specifically, the eastern region outperforms the central region, while the central region surpasses both the western and northeastern regions. Second, AI development significantly inhibits urban air pollution, with heterogeneous effects: negative and significant in northeastern and resource-based cities, insignificant in others. Third, AI development and urban air pollution exhibit significant spatial correlation; AI advancement negatively impacts local air pollution and generates negative spillover effects on neighboring regions.Based on these findings, four policy recommendations are proposed to optimize AI’s role in air pollution governance.

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