The adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) marks a pivotal shift with the potential to significantly improve education and research across Africa. This work posits that AI technologies, including adaptive learning systems, natural language processing, and predictive analytics, offer a vital means of overcoming long-standing structural issues. These include severe faculty shortages, overcrowded lecture halls, and difficulties in accessing international scholarly publishing. Tools such as Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) make truly personalized education possible on a large scale. They apply established educational principles, such as tailoring tasks to a learner’s specific capabilities, to adjust teaching materials in real-time for each student. Simultaneously, AI is making research more accessible by streamlining the review of existing literature, improving the clarity and rigor of academic papers, and identifying patterns in large, complicated datasets. This supports African researchers in producing work that meets global standards and addresses both local and worldwide challenges. Despite this potential, the path forward is not without obstacles. Serious considerations around algorithmic fairness, the authenticity of student work, data protection, and the uncritical import of foreign technologies must be addressed. A successful and fair integration requires a tailored strategy built on strong ethical foundations. Achieving this requires cooperation between governments, institutions, and communities to establish reliable internet and computing access, fund comprehensive training programs, and implement policies that safeguard local data and ensure AI systems are transparent, understandable, and accountable. In essence, for AI to drive genuine and equitable progress in African academia, its role must be to support and enhance the irreplaceable guidance of teachers, not to supplant it. Furthermore, these technologies should be developed in concert with African knowledge systems and social priorities. This review asserts that with a careful, people-focused implementation strategy, AI can help unlock the continent’s vast youthful potential, fostering a more competitive and inclusive educational environment.