This study examined Psychological Adaptation to Artificial Intelligence and Its Impact on Academic Staff in Selected Tertiary Institutions in North Central Nigeria. The main objective was to determine the relationship between psychological adaptation to AI and academic staff performance, as well as its influence on teaching effectiveness, research productivity, and the role of demographic and institutional factors. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The population comprised 4,280 academic staff from Federal University Lafia, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University Makurdi, and University of Abuja. A sample of 366 respondents was selected using Taro Yamane sampling technique. Data were collected using structured questionnaires measuring psychological adaptation to AI, academic staff performance, teaching effectiveness, research productivity, and demographic/institutional factors. The hypotheses were tested using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC), Multiple Regression Analysis, and ANOVA at 0.05 significance level. Findings revealed a strong positive relationship between psychological adaptation to AI and academic staff performance (r = 0.68, p < 0.05). Multiple regression results showed that psychological adaptation significantly influenced teaching effectiveness and research productivity (R² = 0.55, F = 218.45, p < 0.05), explaining 55% of the variance. Furthermore, ANOVA results indicated that demographic and institutional factors significantly influenced psychological adaptation (F = 9.87, p < 0.05). The study concluded that psychological adaptation to AI is a key determinant of academic staff performance in tertiary institutions. It was recommended that universities should provide continuous training, strengthen institutional support systems, and develop clear AI integration policies to enhance staff readiness and productivity in the era of Artificial Intelligence.

Keywords: Psychological Adaptation, Artificial Intelligence, Academic Staff, Tertiary Institutions, Teaching Effectiveness.