Does AI empower corporate green technological innovation? The role of operational performance, resource allocation, and financing constraints

Amidst escalating global climate concerns and rapid artificial intelligence (AI) advancement, this study examines how AI empowers corporate green technological innovation (GTI) to facilitate low-carbon transitions. Using data from Chinese A-share listed companies (2007–2025), we demonstrate that AI significantly enhances GTI, with effects more pronounced in manufacturing, high-tech sectors, and firms located in eastern China. Mechanistically, AI fosters GTI through operational-performance improvements and optimised resource-allocation efficiency. However, financing constraints exert a critical negative moderating role, curtailing AI’s potential. Policy implications highlight the need for tailored interventions – including sector-specific AI integration, cross-regional innovation alliances, and dual-track governance – to unlock AI’s dual pathways of operational optimisation and strategic reallocation while addressing capital accessibility and equitable development.