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Artificial intelligence and industrial innovation: Evidence from German firm-level data

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  • Rammer, Christian
  • Fernández, Gastón P.
  • Czarnitzki, Dirk

Abstract

This paper analyses the link between the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and innovation performance in firms. Based on firm-level data from the German part of the Community Innovation Survey (CIS) 2018, we examine the role of different AI methods and application areas in innovation. The results show that 5.8% of firms in Germany were actively using AI in their business operations or products and services in 2019. We find that the use of AI is associated with annual sales with world-first product innovations in these firms of about €16 billion (i.e. 18% of total annual sales of world-first innovations). In addition, AI technologies have been used in process innovation that contributed to about 6% of total annual cost savings of the German business sector. Firms that apply AI broadly (using different methods for different applications areas) and that have already several years of experience in using AI obtain significantly higher innovation results. These positive findings on the role of AI for innovation have to be interpreted with caution as they refer to a specific country (Germany) in a situation where AI started to diffuse rapidly.

Suggested Citation

  • Rammer, Christian & Fernández, Gastón P. & Czarnitzki, Dirk, 2022. "Artificial intelligence and industrial innovation: Evidence from German firm-level data," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(7).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:respol:v:51:y:2022:i:7:s0048733322000798
    DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2022.104555
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    3. Czarnitzki, Dirk & Fernández, Gastón P. & Rammer, Christian, 2023. "Artificial intelligence and firm-level productivity," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 211(C), pages 188-205.
    4. Arntz, Melanie & Genz, Sabrina & Gregory, Terry & Lehmer, Florian & Zierahn-Weilage, Ulrich, 2024. "De-Routinization in the Fourth Industrial Revolution - Firm-Level Evidence," IZA Discussion Papers 16740, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Ding, Tao & Li, Jiangyuan & Shi, Xing & Li, Xuhui & Chen, Ya, 2023. "Is artificial intelligence associated with carbon emissions reduction? Case of China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).
    6. Xianpu Xu & Yuchen Song, 2023. "Is There a Conflict between Automation and Environment? Implications of Artificial Intelligence for Carbon Emissions in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-22, August.
    7. Genghua Tang & Hongxun Mai, 2022. "How Does Manufacturing Intelligentization Influence Innovation in China from a Nonlinear Perspective and Economic Servitization Background?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-16, October.
    8. Li, Chengming & Xu, Yang & Zheng, Hao & Wang, Zeyu & Han, Haiting & Zeng, Liangen, 2023. "Artificial intelligence, resource reallocation, and corporate innovation efficiency: Evidence from China's listed companies," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    9. Nils Grashof & Alexander Kopka, 2023. "Artificial intelligence and radical innovation: an opportunity for all companies?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 61(2), pages 771-797, August.
    10. Xueyuan Gao & Hua Feng, 2023. "AI-Driven Productivity Gains: Artificial Intelligence and Firm Productivity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-21, June.
    11. Christian Peukert & Margaritha Windisch, 2023. "The Economics of Copyright in the Digital Age," CESifo Working Paper Series 10687, CESifo.
    12. Busch, Malte & Duwe, Daniel, 2023. "Artificial intelligence in innovation processes. A study using the example of an innvation research institute," EconStor Research Reports 281981, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    13. Nils Grashof & Alexander Kopka, 2023. "Widening or closing the gap? The relationship between artificial intelligence, firm-level productivity and regional clusters," Bremen Papers on Economics & Innovation 2304, University of Bremen, Faculty of Business Studies and Economics.
    14. Flavio Calvino & Luca Fontanelli, 2023. "Artificial intelligence, complementary assets and productivity: evidence from French firms," LEM Papers Series 2023/35, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Artificial Intelligence; Innovation; CIS data; Germany;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • M15 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - IT Management

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