The study investigated the adoption and usage of artificial intelligence (AI) in library operations by academic librarians in three (3) selected higher institutions in Imo State, Nigeria. The study was carried out with a view to ascertain the numerous opportunities offered by its adoption and usage in library operations.  A survey research design was adopted for the study, with a total population of 125 academic librarians drawn from three academic institutions in Imo State. Total enumeration method was used as a sampling technique, and self-structured questionnaire was used as the instrument for data collection. The data collected were analysed using mean and simple percentages. The outcome of the result showed that there is still a very low level of AI adoption and usage by academic librarians in the three higher institutions studied in Imo State. Moreso, only Machine-Readable Catalogue (MARC) is available for use by the librarians, as other types of AI tools are not often available for use.  It was also discovered that AI tools for library services delivery is still at a very low extent because most of the tools are not available in the libraries studied. The study further revealed that so many factors act as hindrances to the adoption and usage of AI, and prominent among these are the disruption of AI on traditional library practices, the threat to jobs of academic librarians, the high cost of AI tools, etc. The research concluded that AI will actively revolutionise library operations and service delivery and should be adopted in all the higher institutions in Imo State. The research finally recommended the need to train and re-train academic librarians at all levels on the adoption and use of AI tools  , change the mindsets of academic librarians that AI will take over their jobs, and provide necessary infrastructures and an enabling environment for complete adoption and usage of AI tools, among others.