The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in government continues to soar.  The federal AI market now exceeds $1 billion.  At the same time, however, important ethical and use questions are arising.  While the technology has many possible positive applications throughout government, contractors should consider exercising caution in where and how they propose to use AI.  Regardless of the technology, the bottom line remains the same:  Contractors are the most likely scapegoat if the latest HAL 9000 goes rogue.  Another issue surrounding AI use is how to acquire it using acquisition rules that were developed when “AI” was just the middle two letters of the Washington Football team’s fight song.  A recent Nextgov article quoted Office of Federal Procurement Policy association administrator Mathew Blum saying, “We need to have practices that encourage and enable us to take advantage of those technologies, but we have to do it in a responsible manner, so that we’re not exposing ourselves to unnecessary national security risks or human rights challenges,”  Blum believes that federal contracting professionals will increasingly need to undergo digital information technology training to gain the technical skills and competencies required for the acquisitions needed to fill the demand.  Last year, the Office of Management and Budget began requiring all contracting professionals assigned to digital services acquisitions above $7 million to have the certification associated with the Digital IT Acquisition Professional (DITAP) from the Federal Acquisition Institute.  Contractors may want to consider similar training for their professionals engaged in AI development and deployment.  Knowing more about the “what” and the “how” of AI acquisition and use can help ensure more responsible use of this developing technology as well as ensure that government agencies have timely access to needed solutions.