The　adoption　of　generative　artificial　intelligence　(GAI)　tools,　such　as　ChatGPT,　in　higher　education　presents　numerous　opportunities　and　challenges.　The　use　of　GAI　technologies　in　various　fields,　including　education,　has　accelerated　as　technology　develops.　The　widely　used　language　model　ChatGPT,　developed　by　OpenAI,　has　become　progressively　more　important,　especially　in　the　field　of　education.　This　study　employs　the　technology　acceptance　model　to　investigate　the　factors　influencing　the　employment　of　ChatGPT　within　the　higher　education　sector　of　Pakistan.　This　study　employed　the　PLS-SEM　method　for　probing　data　collected　from　368　Pakistani　university　students.　The　findings　indicate　that　ChatGPT　trust　positively　mediates　the　affiliation　between　ChatGPT　self-efficacy,　ChatGPT　actual　use,　ChatGPT　use　for　information　and　ChatGPT　use　for　interaction.　Further,　ChatGPT　usefulness　and　ChatGPT　ease　of　use　significantly　moderate　the　association　between　ChatGPT　self-efficacy　and　ChatGPT　trust.　Educators　must　encourage　students　to　use　ChatGPT　safely　to　preserve　their　critical　thinking,　problem-solving　abilities　and　creativity　during　assessments.　This　study　contributes　to　understanding　generative　AI　tools　such　as　ChatGPT　that　are　used　in　educational　settings　and　provides　insights　for　administrators　and　policymakers　aiming　to　implement　these　technologies　effectively.