From technology anxiety to trust: factors shaping adoption of AR-based housing rental platforms in Malaysia

Purpose This study investigates factors influencing young tenants' attitudes and behavioural intentions toward augmented reality (AR)-based housing rental platforms in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on technology adoption, PropTech, housing search behaviour and digital transaction trust literature, the study tests the effects of technology anxiety, innovativeness, interactivity and virtuality on attitudes toward AR-based housing rental platforms, with trust, need for touch and gender as moderators. Data from 134 young adults in Penang were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Findings Technology anxiety negatively affects attitude, whereas innovativeness, interactivity and virtuality have positive effects. Attitude strongly predicts behavioural intention. Trust moderates the effects of technology anxiety and innovativeness, while need for touch moderates the effects of technology anxiety and virtuality. Moreover interactivity and virtuality show stronger effects among male respondents. Practical implications AR-based housing rental platforms may support pre-viewing, tenant self-screening, listing credibility and leasing efficiency by helping tenants assess spatial suitability before physical inspections. Social implications AR can support more informed housing search decisions, although affordability constraints may still limit adoption in high-cost rental markets. Originality/value Rather than proposing a new technology-adoption theory, the study provides a context-specific extension of established adoption research by showing how psychological traits and AR affordances operate under the spatial, credibility and physical-inspection requirements of rental housing. It further identifies trust, need for touch and gender as boundary conditions shaping tenants' responses to AR-enabled property evaluation.