<p> As the new wave of scientific and technological revolution continues to unfold, the digital economy has increasingly emerged as a pivotal driving force behind urban modernization. Drawing upon the quasi-natural experiment of the National Big Data Comprehensive Pilot Zone (NBDCPZ), the research constructs a multi-period double-difference model and double machine learning to empirically test the effects of establishing the pilot zone on the economic resilience. It is found that the pilot zone makes a notable contribution to bolstering urban economic resilience, primarily through refining the urban industrial structure and strengthening digital finance capabilities. Heterogeneity analysis shows that NBDCPZ promotes the economic resilience of large-scale cities, coastal cities, and non-resource-based cities more significantly. The spatial effect indicates that NBDCPZ has siphon effect on neighboring cities, which inhibits the economic resilience of neighboring cities. This study enhances the current methodology used to analyze urban adjacent&#xa0;resilience, offering valuable guidance for strengthening the city's ability to resist risks.</p>