<p>Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI), with its distinctive capabilities, is inducing profound transformations across multiple industries. In the realm of higher education, a centered around human intellect and pedagogical advancement, these emerging technologies are at a pivotal juncture of change. Within the scope of GAI, the dynamics of human-technology interaction are significantly influenced by user cognizance, encompassing an understanding and experiential knowledge of technological features. This study investigates the impact of GAI adoption in higher education, focusing on how user awareness influences perceived utility through the lens of the Status Quo Bias (SQB) theory. The research employs a quantitative approach using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) to examine the relationships between various factors affecting GAI implementation in educational settings. The findings reveal significant effects on user awareness from two main dimensions: individual commitment to resistance and technology affordance. In the individual commitment to resistance dimension, both sunk cost and privacy concerns demonstrated significant influences on user awareness. Within the technology affordance dimension, explainability, accountability, and transparency showed significant positive effects on user awareness. These results provide valuable insights for higher education institutions implementing GAI technologies, suggesting that successful adoption requires careful consideration of both individual resistance factors and technological affordance features. The findings contribute to the understanding of GAI adoption in educational contexts and offer practical implications for developing effective implementation strategies.</p>