AI can improve the university’s administrative processes could be huge because there are many other things that it could lead to the transformation of university processes: becoming more efficient, more efficacious, more automated, more data-driven decision-driven, increasing. Nevertheless the application for the University of Baghdad in this context is not an easy road map in using AI in academic administration will be quite different as there are unique challenges of the University of Baghdad. This study aims to explore the impediments of AI adoption in university administrative function AI applications including infrastructure constraints, expertise gap, data security concerns, and reluctance of stakeholders when it comes to adjusting. Our study employs a mixed-methods methodology, leveraging the analysis of existing institutional preparedness, the technical gaps, and administrative barriers to develop a set of tactical recommendations for AI deployment. These results highlight the need for the implementation of some of the AI-related policies, capital deployment including digital infrastructure and technology-inclination habits for academic administrators. Simply put, if universities can do all these things to address these barriers, they will use AI in the direction of their organizational performance and leverage AI in increasing their organizational performance, and AI will help lift their bottom lines. In contrast, this study adds to a much larger discourse on AI adoption within the administrative environment of higher education, as well as practical insights on AI adoption, which have far-reaching implications for academic leaders and academic decision-makers.