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Apple’s introduction of the Vision Pro, a wearable spatial computing device, has reignited conversations about augmented reality (AR). While often associated with gaming and entertainment, AR holds transformative potential for businesses ready to deploy it strategically. Those who do can expect not just improved customer experiences but also increased efficiency, productivity, and new revenue streams—reshaping the competitive landscape.
By integrating digital information into our physical world, AR provides context-rich insights that enable more informed and precise decision-making. Imagine a remote expert guiding a technician through a complex repair from thousands of miles away or a consumer virtually placing a piece of furniture in their home before buying it. The possibilities are extensive.
However, to capitalize on AR’s potential, business leaders must identify where AR can make a real difference—where it allows interactions that current technology can’t match, yielding faster or better results. Without firsthand experience of AR in action, many companies struggle to find the right applications and justify the investment.
Our work with early AR adopters, along with insights from industry experts, reveals a broad spectrum of applications. Yet, the most compelling uses fall under ten distinct scenarios. By exploring these, companies can more easily pinpoint how and where AR can deliver the most value for their business.
Ten Paths to Value
Unlike virtual reality, which immerses users in a completely digital environment, AR enhances the real world by overlaying digital information—like sensor data, instructions, or hazard warnings—onto our physical surroundings. Users typically access this information through AR glasses or goggles, keeping their hands free to interact naturally with their environment.
These capabilities drive the ten AR scenarios outlined below. Each offers unique value and is applicable across various industries—not just in obvious sectors like healthcare, manufacturing, or retail.
1. Remote Expert Guidance for Complex Repairs
Troubleshooting sophisticated equipment often requires specialized expertise that’s not always available on-site. AR enables remote experts to virtually “be there,” seeing what the on-site technician sees and providing real-time guidance. They can even overlay digital cues in the technician’s field of view, such as arrows indicating which way to turn a valve. This not only reduces downtime but also ensures more effective and efficient solutions by considering the equipment’s actual operating environment.
Example: Porsche has reduced its service resolution time by up to 40% by using AR to connect dealership technicians with remote experts. By equipping technicians with AR glasses, remote experts can guide them through complex repairs, reducing the need for expert travel and improving customer satisfaction.
2. Immersive and Interactive Training
AR transforms training by providing immersive, hands-on experiences without the need for physical equipment or one-on-one expert time. Employees learn by doing, receiving immediate feedback in realistic simulations. This is particularly beneficial for emergency response training or mastering complex customer service scenarios. AR training is often self-guided, freeing up experts for other priorities.
Example: Toyota uses AR to expand its training reach, allowing trainers to guide multiple employees simultaneously, which is especially useful when new car designs require process changes. The company leverages AR to simulate assembly line procedures, helping workers adapt to new models without halting production.
3. Enhanced Customer Experiences
AR offers businesses the opportunity to provide interactive and personalized experiences, deepening customer engagement. Retailers can overlay product reviews in-store or showcase variations that aren’t physically present. Entertainment venues can enhance events with interactive features, and museums can bring exhibits to life in new ways.
Examples:
Wayfair developed an AR application that lets customers virtually place full-scale 3D models of furniture in their homes, allowing them to see how different products fit and look before making a purchase.
The Cleveland Museum of Art created a life-size 3D model of an ancient cave temple, allowing visitors to experience a sculpture in its original environment through AR headsets, enriching the educational experience.
4. Optimized Maintenance and Inspection
AR can overlay maintenance instructions or highlight inspection points directly onto equipment, reducing errors and speeding up processes. Technicians can see step-by-step procedures superimposed on the machinery they’re working on, ensuring they follow protocols accurately and efficiently.
Example: General Electric (GE) uses AR to assist workers in performing maintenance on jet engines and wind turbines. By overlaying instructions and highlighting specific components, GE has reduced inspection times and minimized human error, leading to improved safety and cost savings.
5. Product Design and Prototyping
Design teams can use AR to visualize and manipulate 3D models in real space, facilitating better collaboration and faster iteration. This allows designers and engineers to see how parts fit together, test functionality, and make real-time adjustments without the need for physical prototypes.
Example: Volkswagen employs AR in its design process, enabling teams to project virtual models of vehicle components onto existing physical models. This helps in identifying design issues early and accelerates the development cycle.
6. Sales and Marketing Enhancements
Sales teams can offer virtual demonstrations of products, allowing customers to experience them in their own environment before purchasing. This is especially useful for large or complex products that are difficult to transport or demonstrate physically.
Example: IKEA launched the “IKEA Place” app, which uses AR to let customers visualize how furniture items would look and fit in their homes. This not only enhances the shopping experience but also reduces the likelihood of returns due to mismatched expectations.
7. Safety Improvements
AR can highlight hazards in real-time, provide safety protocols, and ensure compliance with regulations, enhancing workplace safety. Workers receive immediate visual alerts about potential dangers, and safety checklists can be overlaid in their field of view during critical operations.
Example: Daqri, an AR technology company, developed smart helmets for industrial workers. These helmets display real-time data about the surrounding environment, such as temperature readings or the presence of hazardous gases, helping workers avoid accidents.
8. Supply Chain and Logistics Optimization
Workers can use AR to find items in warehouses more quickly or to visualize supply chain data overlaid on physical assets. This streamlines inventory management, picking, and restocking processes, leading to increased efficiency and reduced errors.
Example: DHL implemented AR smart glasses for warehouse staff, providing visual displays of order picking instructions and item locations. The result was a 25% increase in efficiency during the pilot program.
9. Healthcare Applications
Medical professionals can access patient data during procedures without looking away, improving efficiency and patient care. AR can overlay critical information like vital signs, imaging results, or surgical guides directly onto the patient’s body.
Example: AccuVein uses AR technology to project a map of a patient’s veins onto their skin, assisting healthcare professionals in finding veins more easily for injections or IV placements. This reduces patient discomfort and improves procedure success rates.
10. Education and E-Learning
AR can bring educational content to life, making learning more engaging and effective across all levels of education. Students can interact with 3D models, conduct virtual experiments, and visualize complex concepts in a tangible way.
Example: Google Expeditions AR allows teachers to turn their classrooms into immersive learning environments. Students can explore the solar system, the human body, or historical artifacts through AR, enhancing their understanding and retention of information.
