The scale of the digital economy has increased rapidly, which, to some extent, has improved the employment environment. However, the relationship between the digital economy and the employment structure is still uncertain. The primary objective of this study is to examine whether the digital economy in China can improve the employment structure. Specifically, we research the digital economy’s spatial–temporal evolution, and the heterogeneity and mechanism of this influence. The hypothesis is that “the level of digital economy development has a positive impact on the employment structure”. Based on evidence from China’s 30 provinces from 2001 to 2020, we construct a comprehensive system to measure the provincial digital economy and use the entropy method for calculation. Using spatial correlation analysis, the spatial distribution of the digital economy is analyzed. The relationship between the digital economy and the employment structure is explored via the ordinary least squares model, with the development level of the digital economy as the core explanatory variable and the employment structure as the explained variable. Results show that the high–high clustering gradually moves from the eastern to the central region. The development of the digital economy can significantly improve the employment structure by improving the industrial structure. However, heterogeneity exists, which is affected by the geographical location, degree of marketization, level of economic development, and whether it is located in a coastal area.

This paper examines the relationship between digital–real economy integration (DREI) and household consumption using panel data from 30 Chinese provinces over the period 2014–2024. By developing an entropy-weighted modified coupling coordination model, the level of DREI is quantitatively measured, and the mechanisms of its impact and its heterogeneity at the household consumption level are explored. The empirical results show that strengthening DREI has a significant positive impact on household consumption, particularly in China’s central region and in the goods sector. Additionally, this paper identifies three primary channels through which DREI can promote household consumption: optimizing the business environment to minimize transaction costs, developing logistics to improve the efficiency of resource allocation, and promoting financial inclusion to boost household consumption potential. The findings in this paper have significant policy implications for leveraging DREI to transform China’s economic growth pattern towards high-quality domestic demand in the era of artificial intelligence and sustainable development.