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Robots and Workers: Evidence from the Netherlands

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  • Acemoglu, Daron
  • Koster, Hans
  • Ozgen, Ceren

Abstract

We estimate the effects of robot adoption on firm-level and worker-level outcomes in the Netherlands using a large employer-employee panel dataset spanning 2009-2020. Our firm-level results confirm previous findings, with positive effects on value added and hours worked for robot-adopting firms and negative outcomes on competitors in the same industry. Our worker-level results show that directly-affected workers (e.g., bluecollar workers performing routine or replaceable tasks) face lower earnings and employment rates, while other workers indirectly gain from robot adoption. We also find that the negative effects from competitors' robot adoption load on directly-affected workers, while other workers benefit from this industry-level robot adoption. Overall, our results highlight the uneven effects of automation on the workforce.

Suggested Citation

  • Acemoglu, Daron & Koster, Hans & Ozgen, Ceren, 2023. "Robots and Workers: Evidence from the Netherlands," CEPR Discussion Papers 17993, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:17993
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    2. Derick Almeida & Tiago Neves Sequeira, 2024. "Robots at work: New evidence with recent data," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 92(6), pages 700-722, December.
    3. Deng, Liuchun & Müller, Steffen & Plümpe, Verena & Stegmaier, Jens, 2024. "Robots, occupations, and worker age: A production-unit analysis of employment," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    4. Pilar Beneito & Maria Garcia-Vega & Oscar Vicente-Chirivella & Guillaume Wilemme, 2024. "Robots and firms’ labour search: The role of temporary work agencies," Discussion Papers 2024-02, University of Nottingham, GEP.
    5. Luo, Wei & Tang, Lixin & Yang, Yaxin & Zou, Xianqiang, 2025. "Robots as guardians: Industrial automation and workplace safety in China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    6. Sebastian Findeisen & Wolfgang Dauth & Oliver Schlenker, 2025. "Organized Labor Versus Robots? Co-Determination in Times of Automation," EconPol Forum, CESifo, vol. 26(04), pages 76-81, October.
    7. Xin, Baogui & Ye, Xiaopu, 2024. "Robotics applications, inclusive employment and income disparity," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    8. Brzozowski, Michał & Siwińska-Gorzelak, Joanna, 2024. "Did robots make wages less responsive to unemployment?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    9. Michael Kilumelume & Justice Tei Mensah & Aimable Nsabimana & Kunal Sen, 2025. "Automation, firms, and workers: Evidence from South Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2025-61, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    10. Caselli, Mauro & Fracasso, Andrea & Scicchitano, Sergio & Traverso, Silvio & Tundis, Enrico, 2025. "What workers and robots do: An activity-based analysis of the impact of robotization on changes in local employment," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(1).
    11. Winston LeCroy, Craig & Morrill Nisbet, Kristin & Schmidt, Michele C., 2024. "Randomized controlled trial of the parents as teacher home visiting program: Outcomes of the intervention on families at six month follow-up," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    12. Mauro Caselli & Edwin Fourrier-Nicolai & Andrea Fracasso & Sergio Scicchitano, 2024. "Digital Technologies and Firms’ Employment and Training," CESifo Working Paper Series 11056, CESifo.
    13. Bisio, Laura & Cuzzola, Angelo & Grazzi, Marco & Moschella, Daniele, 2025. "The dynamics of automation adoption: Firm-level heterogeneity and aggregate employment effects," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    14. Ryoo, Yuhosua & Jeon, Yongwoog Andy & Kim, WooJin, 2024. "The blame shift: Robot service failures hold service firms more accountable," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    15. Chen, Kaiming & Chen, Xiaoqian & Wang, Zhan-ao & Zvarych, Roman, 2024. "Does artificial intelligence promote common prosperity within enterprises? —Evidence from Chinese-listed companies in the service industry," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    16. Teng, Lefa & Sun, Chuluo & Chen, Yifei & Lever, Michael W. & Foti, Lianne, 2024. "Partner or servant? The influence of robot role positioning on consumers’ brand evaluations," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    17. Yawei Xue & Yuchen Lu & Chunqian Zhu, 2025. "Research on the Mechanism of Intelligent Transformation of Enterprises Driven by Targeted Talent Introduction Policies: Taking New-Energy-Automobile Enterprises as an Example," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-24, April.
    18. Zhou, Yuwen & Shi, Xin, 2025. "How does digital technology adoption affect corporate employment? Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    19. Daiji Kawaguchi & Tetsuji Okazaki & Xuanli Zhu, 2025. "Factory Automation, Labor Demand, and Market Dynamics," CIRJE F-Series CIRJE-F-1249, CIRJE, Faculty of Economics, University of Tokyo.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • E22 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Investment; Capital; Intangible Capital; Capacity
    • E23 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Production
    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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