An Application of the UTAUT Model to Investigate User Acceptance of Facial Recognition Technology in Mobile Banking: A Case Study from Thailand

This research examines the determinants affecting consumers' willingness to embrace facial recognition technology for mobile payments in Thailand. Utilizing the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), the study incorporates eight fundamental constructs: Performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, attitude toward use, and intention to utilize facial recognition. Furthermore, demographic moderators such as age, gender, and mobile experience were incorporated to investigate potential variations in user adoption behavior. 539 people who used mobile banking filled out a standardized questionnaire to provide us with the data we needed. Using PLS-SEM through SmartPLS 4.0, structural equation modeling showed that the model was both reliable and valid. The results indicate that most of the hypothesized paths are important, except for the direct effects of performance expectancy and facilitating conditions on intention. Only age had a partial effect as a moderator; the moderating effects of age on other paths, gender, and mobile experience were not significant. These findings offer lessons for banks, mobile service providers, and policymakers particularly the Bank of Thailand on enhancing the design, regulation, and user trust in biometric authentication systems by considering both technological and demographic factors.