Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to streamline metadata workflows and increase the capacity of metadata operations. A growing volume of case studies suggests that knowledge of AI and its subdisciplines, such as large language models (LLMs) and machine learning (ML), is becoming increasingly important within the library profession. Despite a push for increased AI literacy and adoption of AI tools among library workers, much of the literature covering AI in cataloging consists of case studies that do not systematically address ethical concerns within the profession, such as accuracy of data, privacy, and bias. This paper examines the use of AI tools in library and metadata operations through the lens of the Cataloguing Code of Ethics, an international framework for a responsible and inclusive approach to cataloging. After summarizing the history of the adoption of AI in libraries and tools in current use, the paper outlines the benefits and risks of the use of AI and discusses strategies for addressing the ethical challenges of implementing it in cataloging. The authors then propose possible paths forward in the creation of widely accepted guidelines for the ethical use of AI in cataloging and metadata operations.