Abstract: Starting from the construction of a more scientific and comprehensive exploratory innovation preference measurement, this paper analyzes the mechanism and channels of the effect of industrial robot applications on innovation preference from multiple dimensions, and conducts heterogeneity analysis from three levels: TFP, technology mergers and acquisitions(M&As), and market competition. The main conclusions are: (1)Industrial robot applications can improve enterprises’ exploratory innovation preference, and enterprises to transform from utilization-based innovation to exploratory innovation. Therefore, industrial robot applications can enable Chinese enterprises to make greater breakthroughs in basic, cutting-edge and original key core technology problems; (2)Industrial robot applications have the "labor structure adjustment effect", "financing constraint relaxation effect" and "R&D efficiency improvement effect". These three effects are also important channels for industrial robots to help improve exploratory innovation preference. They can effectively inspire enterprises to get rid of their inherent R&D dependence and R&D inertia, explore new tracks of production technology and processes, and thus achieve technological leapfrog; (3)Actively guiding high TFP enterprises to conduct exploratory innovation, encouraging enterprises to conduct technology M&As, and creating a more scientific and fair competition environment will help industrial robots better play their role in promoting exploratory innovation, thereby continuously stimulating the potential and vitality of enterprises to conduct high-level innovation.