Abstract: Accelerating the strategic deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) enterprises serves as a critical pathway for fostering new quality productive forces and holds significant importance in promoting the deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation. This study utilizes panel data from 287 cities in China from 2007 to 2023 to investigate the impact of regional banking competition on the geographical distribution of AI enterprises. The findings reveal that intensified banking competition enhances the density of AI enterprises in cities. After constructing a Difference-in-Differences (DID) model with the removal of the lower limit on loan interest rates in 2013 as a quasi-natural experiment and employing instrumental variables to mitigate endogeneity issues, the aforementioned conclusion remains valid. Moreover, this effect is more pronounced in cities with higher levels of attention to new quality productive forces, digital economy development, and fintech advancement. Further analysis indicates that banking competition not only improves regional loan availability, directing credit resources toward AI enterprises, but also fosters innovation in banking business models, stimulates the vibrancy of regional venture capital markets, and thereby attracts AI enterprises. Additionally, banking competition not only promotes local AI development but also exerts a positive influence on the geographical distribution of AI enterprises in neighboring regions through spatial spillover effects. This study elucidates the association between financial geographical structure and the spatial distribution of AI enterprises, offering policy implications for facilitating the flourishing development of the AI industry.

Key words: Artificial Intelligence, Banking Competition, New Quality Productivity, Digital Economy, FinTech

摘要： 加快布局人工智能企业是培育新质生产力的重要路径,对于促进科技创新与产业创新深度融合具有积极意义。本文利用我国2007—2023年287个城市的面板数据探究了地区人工智能企业布局与银行竞争之间的内在联系。研究发现,银行竞争提升了城市人工智能企业密度,以2013年取消贷款利率下限为准自然实验构建双重差分模型,并寻找工具变量缓解内生性问题后,上述结论依然成立,且这一影响效应在新质生产力关注度、数字经济发展水平和金融科技发展程度较高的城市更为突出。进一步研究表明,银行竞争不仅能够提高地区信贷可得性,引导信贷资源流向人工智能企业,也能够促进银行业务模式创新,提升地区风险投资市场活跃度,从而吸引人工智能企业进入。此外,银行竞争不但促进了当地人工智能企业发展,而且会通过空间溢出效应对邻近地区的人工智能企业布局产生积极影响。本研究揭示了人工智能企业空间分布与金融地理结构的关联,为推动人工智能产业繁荣发展提供了政策启示。

关键词: 人工智能, 银行竞争, 新质生产力, 数字经济, 金融科技