IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ces/ceswps/_11321.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Who Benefits from AI? Project-Level Evidence on Labor Demand, Operations and Profitability

Author

Listed:
  • Erdem Dogukan Yilmaz
  • Christian Peukert

Abstract

We examine how the adoption of digital automation technology affects labor demand, operations and profitability in the context of the logistics industry. Our data covers 9,300 digital automation projects in a multinational company involving service robots and machine learning-based software from 2019 to 2021, alongside fine-grained labor and operations data. To identify causal effects, we leverage exogenous variation from supply-chain disruptions and travel restrictions during COVID-19 and an import ban on information and communication technologies imposed by the Trump administration. We find that total labor cost increased after the adoption of digital automation technology, attributable to increased labor demand and more reliance on temporary workers. However, managerial hours declined, possibly due to increased efficiency. Furthermore, digital automation technology increased revenue and profit through a reduction in operational cost, improved utilization of warehouse space, and higher profit margins. However, the effects of digital automation technology are not homogeneous. We highlight substantial complementarities between hardware and software technologies. Management units that only use software technology experience only half the increase in revenue and profit.

Suggested Citation

  • Erdem Dogukan Yilmaz & Christian Peukert, 2024. "Who Benefits from AI? Project-Level Evidence on Labor Demand, Operations and Profitability," CESifo Working Paper Series 11321, CESifo.
  • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11321
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.cesifo.org/DocDL/cesifo1_wp11321.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nicholas Bloom & Raffaella Sadun & John Van Reenen, 2012. "Americans Do IT Better: US Multinationals and the Productivity Miracle," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 102(1), pages 167-201, February.
    2. Sebastian Krakowski & Johannes Luger & Sebastian Raisch, 2023. "Artificial intelligence and the changing sources of competitive advantage," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(6), pages 1425-1452, June.
    3. Erik Brynjolfsson & Wang Jin & Kristina McElheran, 2021. "The power of prediction: predictive analytics, workplace complements, and business performance," Business Economics, Palgrave Macmillan;National Association for Business Economics, vol. 56(4), pages 217-239, October.
    4. Agrawal, Ajay & Gans, Joshua S. & Goldfarb, Avi, 2019. "Exploring the impact of artificial Intelligence: Prediction versus judgment," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 1-6.
    5. Daron Acemoglu & David Autor & Jonathon Hazell & Pascual Restrepo, 2022. "Artificial Intelligence and Jobs: Evidence from Online Vacancies," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 40(S1), pages 293-340.
    6. Erik Brynjolfsson & Xiang Hui & Meng Liu, 2019. "Does Machine Translation Affect International Trade? Evidence from a Large Digital Platform," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 65(12), pages 5449-5460, December.
    7. David J. Teece & Gary Pisano & Amy Shuen, 1997. "Dynamic capabilities and strategic management," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(7), pages 509-533, August.
    8. Daron Acemoglu & Pascual Restrepo, 2019. "Automation and New Tasks: How Technology Displaces and Reinstates Labor," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 33(2), pages 3-30, Spring.
    9. David H. Autor & Frank Levy & Richard J. Murnane, 2003. "The skill content of recent technological change: an empirical exploration," Proceedings, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, issue Nov.
    10. Manav Raj & Robert Seamans, 2019. "Primer on artificial intelligence and robotics," Journal of Organization Design, Springer;Organizational Design Community, vol. 8(1), pages 1-14, December.
    11. Ekaterina Jussupow & Kai Spohrer & Armin Heinzl & Joshua Gawlitza, 2021. "Augmenting Medical Diagnosis Decisions? An Investigation into Physicians’ Decision-Making Process with Artificial Intelligence," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 32(3), pages 713-735, September.
    12. Kevin Bauer & Moritz von Zahn & Oliver Hinz, 2023. "Expl(AI)ned: The Impact of Explainable Artificial Intelligence on Users’ Information Processing," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 34(4), pages 1582-1602, December.
    13. Pragyan Deb & Davide Furceri & Jonathan D. Ostry & Nour Tawk, 2022. "The Economic Effects of COVID-19 Containment Measures," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 1-32, February.
    14. Daron Acemoglu & Pascual Restrepo, 2020. "Robots and Jobs: Evidence from US Labor Markets," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 128(6), pages 2188-2244.
    15. Ravi Aron & Shantanu Dutta & Ramkumar Janakiraman & Praveen A. Pathak, 2011. "The Impact of Automation of Systems on Medical Errors: Evidence from Field Research," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 22(3), pages 429-446, September.
    16. Jussupow, Ekaterina & Spohrer, Kai & Heinzl, Armin & Gawlitza, Joshua, 2021. "Augmenting Medical Diagnosis Decisions? An Investigation into Physicians’ Decision-Making Process with Artificial Intelligence," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 137446, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    17. Edward Felten & Manav Raj & Robert Seamans, 2021. "Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(12), pages 2195-2217, December.
    18. Baker, Andrew C. & Larcker, David F. & Wang, Charles C.Y., 2022. "How much should we trust staggered difference-in-differences estimates?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(2), pages 370-395.
    19. Milgrom, Paul & Roberts, John, 1990. "Rationalizability, Learning, and Equilibrium in Games with Strategic Complementarities," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 58(6), pages 1255-1277, November.
    20. Callaway, Brantly & Sant’Anna, Pedro H.C., 2021. "Difference-in-Differences with multiple time periods," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 225(2), pages 200-230.
    21. Babina, Tania & Fedyk, Anastassia & He, Alex & Hodson, James, 2024. "Artificial intelligence, firm growth, and product innovation," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    22. David H. Autor, 2015. "Why Are There Still So Many Jobs? The History and Future of Workplace Automation," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 29(3), pages 3-30, Summer.
    23. David H. Autor & Lawrence F. Katz & Alan B. Krueger, 1998. "Computing Inequality: Have Computers Changed the Labor Market?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 113(4), pages 1169-1213.
    24. Erik Brynjolfsson & Lorin Hitt, 1996. "Paradox Lost? Firm-Level Evidence on the Returns to Information Systems Spending," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 42(4), pages 541-558, April.
    25. Hemant Jain & Balaji Padmanabhan & Paul A. Pavlou & T. S. Raghu, 2021. "Editorial for the Special Section on Humans, Algorithms, and Augmented Intelligence: The Future of Work, Organizations, and Society," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 32(3), pages 675-687, September.
    26. Constance E. Helfat & Margaret A. Peteraf, 2015. "Managerial cognitive capabilities and the microfoundations of dynamic capabilities," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(6), pages 831-850, June.
    27. Kingsley Y. L. Fong & F. Douglas Foster & David R. Gallagher & Adrian D. Lee, 2016. "How has the Relevance of Institutional Brokerage Changed?," International Review of Finance, International Review of Finance Ltd., vol. 16(4), pages 499-524, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Barth, Erling & Davis, James C. & Freeman, Richard B. & McElheran, Kristina, 2023. "Twisting the demand curve: Digitalization and the older workforce," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 233(2), pages 443-467.
    2. Christoph Riedl & Eric Bogert, 2024. "Effects of AI Feedback on Learning, the Skill Gap, and Intellectual Diversity," Papers 2409.18660, arXiv.org.
    3. Kristina McElheran & J. Frank Li & Erik Brynjolfsson & Zachary Kroff & Emin Dinlersoz & Lucia Foster & Nikolas Zolas, 2024. "AI adoption in America: Who, what, and where," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(2), pages 375-415, March.
    4. Jasmine Mondolo, 2022. "The composite link between technological change and employment: A survey of the literature," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(4), pages 1027-1068, September.
    5. Anderton, Robert & Jarvis, Valerie & Labhard, Vincent & Morgan, Julian & Petroulakis, Filippos & Vivian, Lara, 2020. "Virtually everywhere? Digitalisation and the euro area and EU economies," Occasional Paper Series 244, European Central Bank.
    6. Ana Abeliansky & Klaus Prettner & Ernesto Rodríguez Crespo, 2024. "Climate change and automation: the emission effects of robot adoption," Department of Economics Working Papers wuwp370, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Department of Economics.
    7. de Vries, Gaaitzen J. & Gentile, Elisabetta & Miroudot, Sébastien & Wacker, Konstantin M., 2020. "The rise of robots and the fall of routine jobs," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    8. Cirillo, Valeria & Mina, Andrea & Ricci, Andrea, 2024. "Digital technologies, labor market flows and training: Evidence from Italian employer-employee data," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    9. Cirillo, Valeria & Mina, Andrea & Ricci, Andrea, 2024. "Digital technologies, labor market flows and training: Evidence from Italian employer-employee data," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    10. Dario Guarascio & Jelena Reljic & Roman Stollinger, 2023. "Artificial Intelligence and Employment: A Look into the Crystal Ball," LEM Papers Series 2023/34, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    11. Fossen, Frank M. & McLemore, Trevor & Sorgner, Alina, 2024. "Artificial Intelligence and Entrepreneurship," IZA Discussion Papers 17055, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    12. Ekaterina Prytkova & Fabien Petit & Deyu Li & Sugat Chaturvedi & Tommaso Ciarli, 2024. "The Employment Impact of Emerging Digital Technologies," CEPEO Working Paper Series 24-01, UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities, revised Feb 2024.
    13. Zhang, Xinchun & Sun, Murong & Liu, Jianxu & Xu, Aijia, 2024. "The nexus between industrial robot and employment in China: The effects of technology substitution and technology creation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    14. Luca Grilli & Sergio Mariotti & Riccardo Marzano, 2024. "Artificial intelligence and shapeshifting capitalism," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 34(2), pages 303-318, April.
    15. Pablo Casas & Concepción Román, 2024. "The impact of artificial intelligence in the early retirement decision," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 51(3), pages 583-618, August.
    16. Albanesi, Stefania & Dias da Silva, Antonio & Jimeno, Juan Francisco & Lamo, Ana & Wabitsch, Alena, 2023. "New Technologies and Jobs in Europe," CEPR Discussion Papers 18220, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    17. Stefania Albanesi & Wabitsch Alena & António Dias da Silva & Juan F. Jimeno & Ana Lamo, 2024. "New Technologies and Jobs in Europe," Opportunity and Inclusive Growth Institute Working Papers 105, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
    18. Emilio Colombo & Fabio Mercorio & Mario Mezzanzanica & Antonio Serino, 2024. "Towards the Terminator Economy: Assessing Job Exposure to AI through LLMs," DISEIS - Quaderni del Dipartimento di Economia internazionale, delle istituzioni e dello sviluppo dis2401, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimento di Economia internazionale, delle istituzioni e dello sviluppo (DISEIS).
    19. Flavio Calvino & Chiara Criscuolo & Luca Fontanelli & Lionel Nesta & Elena Verdolini, 2024. "The role of human capital for AI adoption: Evidence from French firms," CEP Discussion Papers dp2055, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    20. Yoon, Chungeun, 2023. "Technology adoption and jobs: The effects of self-service kiosks in restaurants on labor outcomes," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    digital automation technology; robots; artificial intelligence; future of work;
    All these keywords.

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11321. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Klaus Wohlrabe (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cesifde.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.