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• Industrial robots can significantly promote firm productivity. • The main mechanism comes from the improvement of human capital structure and innovation of firms. • Industrial robots are more likely to increase the total factor productivity of non-state owned and small-scale firm. • Industrial robots are more likely to increase the total factor productivity in firms that have political affiliations and low market concentration. • Industrial robots are more likely to increase the total factor productivity in firms that low financialization, and high managerial competence. Industrial robotics has become a driving force in the development of high-quality manufacturing enterprises. This paper investigates the impact of industrial robotics on the total factor productivity of enterprises and its mechanism of action through the use of data from A-shares of Chinese companies listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges from 2007 to 2019. We found that the use of industrial robots significantly increases the total factor productivity of enterprises, findings that still hold when Bartik instrumental variables are constructed. The mechanism of action suggests that industrial robot application improves both the human capital structure and the innovation capability of enterprises, thus increasing total factor productivity. Heterogeneity analysis shows that industrial robot applications are more likely to increase total factor productivity in firms that are non-state-owned and small scale and have political affiliations, low market concentration, low financialization, and high managerial competence. The findings of this study will help to accurately assess the productivity effects of industrial robotics, and the government should continue to promote the integration of industrial robotics and manufacturing development and actively cultivate independent innovation capabilities and professional skills in the field of industrial robotics in order to increase total factor productivity in enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]