Artificial　intelligence　(AI)　is　gradually　becoming　an　important　engine　for　empowering　urban　economies,　driving　the　low-carbon　growth　of　cities.　To　promote　the　deep　integration　of　AI　with　economic　and　social　expansion,　China　has　proposed　building　national　new-generation　AI　innovation　and　development　pilot　zones　(AIPZ)　in　cities.　However,　the　impact　of　AIPZ　construction　on　low-carbon　development　remains　unclear.　Using　panel　data　from　276　cities　in　China　from　2015　to　2022,　we　employed　a　difference-in-differences　method　to　assess　the　impact　of　the　AIPZ　policy　on　urban　carbon　emissions　(UCE).　First,　as　verified　by　multiple　robustness　tests,　the　AIPZ　policy　effectively　reduced　UCE,　with　an　average　reduction　of　3.4　%.　Second,　the　policy　helped　lower　urban　pollutant　emissions　and　achieved　a　synergistic　effect　of　carbon　and　pollution　reduction.　Third,　according　to　the　mechanism　analysis,　the　AIPZ　policy　promoted　carbon　reduction　by　optimizing　the　government　spending　structure　and　improving　consumers＇　online　lifestyles.　Additionally,　the　economic　effect　analysis　revealed　that　the　AIPZ　policy　reduced　UCE　by　optimizing　industrial　structure,　enhancing　energy　efficiency,　and　promoting　technological　innovation.　Therefore,　this　study　verifies　the　positive　role　of　AI　in　reducing　UCE　and　provides　policy　support　for　leveraging　AI　to　promote　green　and　low-carbon　urban　development.