Economic Complexity and Robot Adoption

Barros, Fernando and Delalibera, Bruno and Ribeiro, Marcos (2025): Economic Complexity and Robot Adoption.

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between economic complexity and industrial robot adoption. Using panel data for 61 countries from 1996 to 2022, we find that higher robot density is significantly associated with greater economic complexity. This positive relationship remains robust after controlling for per capita income, human capital, institutional quality, and other relevant factors. Notably, the complexity-enhancing effect of robots is stronger in countries with a larger share of low-skilled workers.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: economic complexity robot density economic development
• Subjects: O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O3 - Innovation ; Research and Development ; Technological Change ; Intellectual Property Rights > O33 - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences ; Diffusion Processes

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