Augmented Reality Adoption: Exploring Security Concerns and Consumer Resourcefulness in the Era of Society 5.0

ABSTRACT Society 5.0, building its foundation on industry 4.0, defines the concept of super smart cities as places where humans can adapt novel technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR) in their daily lives. AR offers consumers an immersive, hybrid experience that blurs the line between the real and virtual worlds, prompting this research to explore factors influencing its adoption. Using a quantitative approach, the study analyzed survey data from 457 respondents through the PLS‐SEM‐ANN approach, applying a modified version of the UTAUT model. This research introduces a novel perspective by integrating previously unexplored factors, like security concerns and technostress, into the UTAUT model. Results indicate that personal innovativeness towards information technology and security concerns significantly drive AR adoption, while technostress and social influence are non‐significant. A possible explanation for the insignificance of these factors lies in the present generation's ability to rapidly adapt to new technologies and make autonomous decisions, reducing reliance on peer influence. These findings emphasize the role of consumer resourcefulness in closing the intention‐usage gap. Understanding these underlying factors and consumer behavior dynamics enables e‐commerce platforms to tailor engagement strategies, facilitating more effective AR adoption within the Society 5.0 framework.