While robot applications generate widespread economic growth dividends, these benefits do not naturally trickle down equally across all regions. This study examines the “south-orange-north-tangerine” effect of robot applications on economic growth and its underlying mechanisms through four dimensions—labor participation, labor mismatch, labor skills, and labor income—using prefecture-level city data. The findings reveal that robot applications serve as a significant driver of economic growth, but their impact is markedly stronger in southern China than in the north, creating a “fast-south, slow-north” divergence akin to the phenomenon where “oranges thrive in the south but turn into tangerines in the north.” Mechanism analysis demonstrates asymmetric effects across the four dimensions: robot applications significantly outperform in southern China regarding labor participation promotion, mismatch alleviation, skill enhancement, and income growth. This asymmetric empowerment effect is a key factor behind the “south-orange-north-tangerine” pattern in China’s economic growth. The study provides new insights into regional economic disparities and offers policy implications for leveraging robots to foster high-quality economic development.