Artificial Intelligence, at the forefront of innovation and intelligence, is redefining the pace of life and work, notably within education. This study investigates the determinants influencing Gen Z's behavioral intentions (BI) to integrate AI-powered tools within Indian Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) by extending the UTAUT2 model with four additional constructs: trustworthiness, personal innovativeness, perceived task excellence, and perceived privacy concern. The data gathered from 430 respondents within Indian HEIs through an online survey following purposive sampling was meticulously analyzed using the structural equation modeling approach in AMOS. The findings validate the applicability of the UTAUT2 model for understanding AI tool integration in the Indian context, with an explanatory power of 34.2%. The study highlights the beneficial impact of hedonic motivation, perceived task excellence, facilitating conditions, and performance expectancy on Gen Z's intention to integrate AI tools. Additionally, the study suggests recommendations for future research and outlines implications based on these findings.