Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized academic research assistance and plagiarism detection in higher education, enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and integrity in scholarly work. AIpowered tools streamline literature reviews, automate data analysis, and assist in manuscript drafting by leveraging natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML) algorithms. These innovations help researchers identify relevant studies, detect patterns, and generate insights with unprecedented speed and precision. Additionally, AI-driven plagiarism detection systems utilize deep learning techniques and vast academic databases to ensure originality by identifying textual similarities, paraphrasing, and citation inconsistencies. Such advancements uphold academic integrity by preventing unintentional plagiarism and facilitating ethical research practices. Furthermore, AI-based recommendation systems provide personalized suggestions for sources, methodologies, and collaborations, fostering interdisciplinary research. However, the adoption of AI in academia raises ethical concerns regarding data privacy, algorithmic bias, and over-reliance on automated tools, necessitating careful implementation and regulatory oversight. As AI continues to evolve, its role in academic research assistance and plagiarism detection will remain instrumental in enhancing the quality and credibility of higher education.