When users interact with mobile platforms in an augmented reality environment, cognitive and emotional engagements change through different stimuli cues that respond to users’ behavioral intentions. The effects of those engagements through augmented reality, considering user-platform interactions, are unexplored. This study investigated a nuanced understanding of how stimuli cues in augmented reality affect sense of immersion and sense of presence, followed by an interaction-engagement-intention (I-E-I) model. A quantitative method was used to validate the proposed model. Based on an online survey with 886 responses, product fit, network quality, and artificial intelligence-driven recommendation influences were assessed for cognitive engagements. This study examined the importance of engaging satisfaction and trust as emotional engagements, influencing users’ continuance intention. The findings showed that sources of information, especially online reviews, positively affect the perception of subjective norms. Also, trust has a more significant influence on the continuance intention to use AR mobile platforms. Also, the results explored that the generation of users significantly impacts continuance intention. This could enhance the capabilities of information system designers, researchers, marketing professionals, and solution providers to attain sustainable user retention.