The contribution of robots to productivity growth in 30 OECD countries over 1975–2019

Gilbert Cette (1) , Aurélien Devillard (2) , Vincenzo Spiezia (3)

1 Banque de France - Banque de France
2 AMSE - Aix-Marseille Sciences Economiques
3 OCDE - Organisation de Coopération et de Développement Economiques = Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

Using a new and original database, our paper contributes to the growth accounting literature by singling out the contribution of robots through two channels: capital deepening and TFP. The contribution of robots to productivity growth through capital deepening and TFP appears to have been significant in Germany and Japan in the sub-period 1975–1995 and in several Eastern European countries in 2005–2019. However, robotization does not appear to be the source of a significant revival in productivity.

Keywords: growth; productivity; robots

Domains: Humanities and Social Sciences; Economics and Finance

Gilbert Cette, Aurélien Devillard, Vincenzo Spiezia. The contribution of robots to productivity growth in 30 OECD countries over 1975–2019. Economics Letters, 2021, 200, pp.109762. ⟨10.1016/j.econlet.2021.109762⟩. ⟨hal-03140435⟩