The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Human Capital Formation in Digital Trade: Evidence from China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.62517/jhet.202615132

Author(s)

Wei Feng1, Chenggang Wang1,2,*, Xinyan Qiao1, Jiadong Chen1

Affiliation(s)

1School of Economics and Business Administration, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China 2Heilongjiang Revitalization Development Research Center, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China *Corresponding Author

Abstract

The rapid development of artificial intelligence increases the demand for interdisciplinary human capital in digital trade. It also challenges the formation of human capital in digital trade. This paper systematically examines the current scale and structural composition of digital trade human capital in the context of artificial intelligence. It identifies several key problems in the process through which universities form digital trade human capital. These include relevant curricula lagging behind technological development, inadequate digital education infrastructure, and alienation in the human–machine relationship during the training process. Building on this analysis, this paper examines the effect of artificial intelligence on the formation of digital trade human capital. It conducts an empirical test using panel data from 30 provinces in China from 2012 to 2023. The results show that artificial intelligence significantly increases the supply of digital trade human capital. In addition, industrial development and public education investment play significant roles in promoting the formation of digital trade human capital in universities. Based on these findings, this paper proposes systematic measures to address the main challenges facing higher education in digital trade. These measures are developed from the perspective of collaboration among university, industry, and public institution.

Keywords

Artificial Intelligence; Digital Trade; Higher Education; Human Capital; Triple Helix

References

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