Changing Course: Robots and Human Capital Investment in High School

We study how industrial robots affect human capital investment during high school. Using Texas administrative records and an instrument based on European robot adoption, we find that exposure reduces dropout, raises observed completion, and shifts coursework toward college preparation and away from vocational subjects. Advanced coursework increases across grades, while dropout reductions and gains in quantitative coursework are concentrated in upper grades. Boys reduce vocational coursework more, narrowing gender differences in course taking, whereas girls increase advanced coursework more, widening their advantage in college preparation. Adjustment to automation is already underway in high school, through continued schooling and curricular choices.