Abstract: As an important artificial intelligence, the use of industrial robots can help boost manufacturing growth. Based on the Chinese manufacturing industry and the provincial panel data of CRIA industrial robots, this paper empirically examines the mediating role of total factor productivity in the transmission between industrial robots and manufacturing growth by constructing a mediated utility model. The effect of industrial robots on manufacturing growth can be divided into direct effect and total factor productivity mediated transmission effect, where the direct effect of industrial robots on manufacturing growth explains 82.45% of the total effect, while total factor productivity as a mediated effect explains only 17.55% of the total effect. This paper further finds that the total factor productivity mediating effect of industrial robots for manufacturing growth is mainly transmitted through technological progress rather than technical efficiency.