diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index 760ac43f..9f9c37fb 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ repos:
     -   id: trailing-whitespace
     -   id: mixed-line-ending
 -   repo: https://github.com/nbQA-dev/nbQA
-    rev: 1.2.2
+    rev: 1.2.3
     hooks:
     -   id: nbqa-black
         args: [-l80]
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ repos:
     -   id: isort
         args: ["--profile", "black", "-l80"]
 -   repo: https://github.com/psf/black
-    rev: 21.12b0
+    rev: 22.1.0
     hooks:
     -   id: black
         args: [-l 80]
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 2d48efd2..d6e55c37 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -116,3 +116,11 @@ However if you must exclude a file, you can do it with the [`exclude`](https://p
 pre-commit.ci comes with an autoupdate feature that cannot be disabled, it runs at least once a quarter (see in the config file `autoupdate_schedule: quarterly`).
 
 You can either accept and merge this PR, or if you probably don't want the Google CLA check to be failing, then create your own branch, run `pre-commit autoupdate`, and commit and merge the results, and delete the original PR.
+
+#### _pre-commit.ci is failing because `nbqa-black` and `black-jupyter` disagree (and maybe it worked fine locally)_
+
+`nbqa-black` uses your local version of `black` (meaning the latest version on the server side), and this can clash with the `black` version pinned in the `pre-commit-config.yaml`.
+
+The solution is to upgrade your local `black` (such as `pip install --upgrade black`), run `pre-commit autoupdate` and push the changes.
+
+(In theory there would be a solution, in the pre-commit-config.yaml file in the nbqa-black section one could add something like `additional_dependencies : ['black:21.12b0']` ([see also the same advice in the nbQA doc](https://github.com/nbQA-dev/nbQA#pre-commit)), but probably this would add an unnecessary layer of manual maintenance burden (e.g. having to manually bump this version and sync with `black`'s).)
diff --git a/notebooks/building_production_ml_systems/labs/taxifare/trainer/model.py b/notebooks/building_production_ml_systems/labs/taxifare/trainer/model.py
index f023c3bf..a2d1149e 100644
--- a/notebooks/building_production_ml_systems/labs/taxifare/trainer/model.py
+++ b/notebooks/building_production_ml_systems/labs/taxifare/trainer/model.py
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ def transform(inputs, numeric_cols, nbuckets):
     )
     ploc = fc.crossed_column([b_plat, b_plon], nbuckets * nbuckets)
     dloc = fc.crossed_column([b_dlat, b_dlon], nbuckets * nbuckets)
-    pd_pair = fc.crossed_column([ploc, dloc], nbuckets ** 4)
+    pd_pair = fc.crossed_column([ploc, dloc], nbuckets**4)
     feature_columns["pickup_and_dropoff"] = fc.embedding_column(pd_pair, 100)
 
     return transformed, feature_columns
diff --git a/notebooks/building_production_ml_systems/solutions/taxifare/trainer/model.py b/notebooks/building_production_ml_systems/solutions/taxifare/trainer/model.py
index f023c3bf..a2d1149e 100644
--- a/notebooks/building_production_ml_systems/solutions/taxifare/trainer/model.py
+++ b/notebooks/building_production_ml_systems/solutions/taxifare/trainer/model.py
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ def transform(inputs, numeric_cols, nbuckets):
     )
     ploc = fc.crossed_column([b_plat, b_plon], nbuckets * nbuckets)
     dloc = fc.crossed_column([b_dlat, b_dlon], nbuckets * nbuckets)
-    pd_pair = fc.crossed_column([ploc, dloc], nbuckets ** 4)
+    pd_pair = fc.crossed_column([ploc, dloc], nbuckets**4)
     feature_columns["pickup_and_dropoff"] = fc.embedding_column(pd_pair, 100)
 
     return transformed, feature_columns
diff --git a/notebooks/feature_engineering/solutions/4_keras_adv_feat_eng.ipynb b/notebooks/feature_engineering/solutions/4_keras_adv_feat_eng.ipynb
index d53d6cec..8c5445b6 100644
--- a/notebooks/feature_engineering/solutions/4_keras_adv_feat_eng.ipynb
+++ b/notebooks/feature_engineering/solutions/4_keras_adv_feat_eng.ipynb
@@ -508,7 +508,7 @@
     "    # create crossed columns\n",
     "    ploc = fc.crossed_column([b_plat, b_plon], nbuckets * nbuckets)\n",
     "    dloc = fc.crossed_column([b_dlat, b_dlon], nbuckets * nbuckets)\n",
-    "    pd_pair = fc.crossed_column([ploc, dloc], nbuckets ** 4)\n",
+    "    pd_pair = fc.crossed_column([ploc, dloc], nbuckets**4)\n",
     "\n",
     "    # create embedding columns\n",
     "    feature_columns[\"pickup_and_dropoff\"] = fc.embedding_column(pd_pair, 100)\n",
diff --git a/notebooks/introduction_to_tensorflow/labs/1_core_tensorflow.ipynb b/notebooks/introduction_to_tensorflow/labs/1_core_tensorflow.ipynb
index ae9ecaae..e5086f1e 100644
--- a/notebooks/introduction_to_tensorflow/labs/1_core_tensorflow.ipynb
+++ b/notebooks/introduction_to_tensorflow/labs/1_core_tensorflow.ipynb
@@ -629,7 +629,7 @@
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
     "X = tf.constant(np.linspace(0, 2, 1000), dtype=tf.float32)\n",
-    "Y = X * tf.exp(-(X ** 2))"
+    "Y = X * tf.exp(-(X**2))"
    ]
   },
   {
diff --git a/notebooks/introduction_to_tensorflow/labs/write_low_level_code.ipynb b/notebooks/introduction_to_tensorflow/labs/write_low_level_code.ipynb
index cb821264..68532fe3 100644
--- a/notebooks/introduction_to_tensorflow/labs/write_low_level_code.ipynb
+++ b/notebooks/introduction_to_tensorflow/labs/write_low_level_code.ipynb
@@ -625,7 +625,7 @@
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
     "X = tf.constant(np.linspace(0, 2, 1000), dtype=tf.float32)\n",
-    "Y = X * tf.exp(-(X ** 2))"
+    "Y = X * tf.exp(-(X**2))"
    ]
   },
   {
diff --git a/notebooks/introduction_to_tensorflow/solutions/1_core_tensorflow.ipynb b/notebooks/introduction_to_tensorflow/solutions/1_core_tensorflow.ipynb
index c60122e2..c007c902 100644
--- a/notebooks/introduction_to_tensorflow/solutions/1_core_tensorflow.ipynb
+++ b/notebooks/introduction_to_tensorflow/solutions/1_core_tensorflow.ipynb
@@ -577,7 +577,7 @@
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
     "X = tf.constant(np.linspace(0, 2, 1000), dtype=tf.float32)\n",
-    "Y = X * tf.exp(-(X ** 2))"
+    "Y = X * tf.exp(-(X**2))"
    ]
   },
   {
diff --git a/notebooks/introduction_to_tensorflow/solutions/4_keras_functional_api.ipynb b/notebooks/introduction_to_tensorflow/solutions/4_keras_functional_api.ipynb
index 1d2f6ec9..e88a72af 100644
--- a/notebooks/introduction_to_tensorflow/solutions/4_keras_functional_api.ipynb
+++ b/notebooks/introduction_to_tensorflow/solutions/4_keras_functional_api.ipynb
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@
     "    hash_bucket_size=NBUCKETS * NBUCKETS,\n",
     ")\n",
     "fc_crossed_pd_pair = fc.crossed_column(\n",
-    "    [fc_crossed_dloc, fc_crossed_ploc], hash_bucket_size=NBUCKETS ** 4\n",
+    "    [fc_crossed_dloc, fc_crossed_ploc], hash_bucket_size=NBUCKETS**4\n",
     ")\n",
     "\n",
     "# 3. Create embedding columns for the crossed columns\n",
diff --git a/notebooks/jax/exercises/JAX_Flax_for_AI_Residents_Practical_Session_(go_flax_air) (2).ipynb b/notebooks/jax/exercises/JAX_Flax_for_AI_Residents_Practical_Session_(go_flax_air) (2).ipynb
index 91295c16..beb993be 100644
--- a/notebooks/jax/exercises/JAX_Flax_for_AI_Residents_Practical_Session_(go_flax_air) (2).ipynb	
+++ b/notebooks/jax/exercises/JAX_Flax_for_AI_Residents_Practical_Session_(go_flax_air) (2).ipynb	
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@
    },
    "source": [
     "def f(x, y):\n",
-    "    return 2 * x * y ** 2\n",
+    "    return 2 * x * y**2\n",
     "\n",
     "\n",
     "# YOUR ACTION REQUIRED:\n",
@@ -423,11 +423,11 @@
     "\n",
     "@jax.jit\n",
     "def f1_jit(x):\n",
-    "    return x ** 0.5\n",
+    "    return x**0.5\n",
     "\n",
     "\n",
     "def f2(x):\n",
-    "    return x ** 0.5\n",
+    "    return x**0.5\n",
     "\n",
     "\n",
     "# It's really the same.\n",
@@ -788,7 +788,7 @@
     "    for value in value_flat:\n",
     "        if isinstance(value, jnp.ndarray):\n",
     "            value = value.sum()\n",
-    "        tot += value ** 2\n",
+    "        tot += value**2\n",
     "    return tot\n",
     "\n",
     "\n",
diff --git a/notebooks/jax/solutions/jax_fundamentals.ipynb b/notebooks/jax/solutions/jax_fundamentals.ipynb
index 6fcd6337..2239f034 100644
--- a/notebooks/jax/solutions/jax_fundamentals.ipynb
+++ b/notebooks/jax/solutions/jax_fundamentals.ipynb
@@ -603,7 +603,7 @@
    ],
    "source": [
     "def f(x, y):\n",
-    "    return 2 * x * y ** 2\n",
+    "    return 2 * x * y**2\n",
     "\n",
     "\n",
     "# YOUR ACTION REQUIRED:\n",
@@ -862,11 +862,11 @@
     "\n",
     "@jax.jit\n",
     "def f1_jit(x):\n",
-    "    return x ** 0.5\n",
+    "    return x**0.5\n",
     "\n",
     "\n",
     "def f2(x):\n",
-    "    return x ** 0.5\n",
+    "    return x**0.5\n",
     "\n",
     "\n",
     "# It's really the same.\n",
@@ -1612,7 +1612,7 @@
     "    for value in value_flat:\n",
     "        if isinstance(value, jnp.ndarray):\n",
     "            value = value.sum()\n",
-    "        tot += value ** 2\n",
+    "        tot += value**2\n",
     "    return tot\n",
     "\n",
     "\n",
diff --git a/notebooks/ml_fairness_explainability/explainable_ai/integrated_gradients.ipynb b/notebooks/ml_fairness_explainability/explainable_ai/integrated_gradients.ipynb
index 94a74752..2ea2078f 100644
--- a/notebooks/ml_fairness_explainability/explainable_ai/integrated_gradients.ipynb
+++ b/notebooks/ml_fairness_explainability/explainable_ai/integrated_gradients.ipynb
@@ -1267,7 +1267,7 @@
     "        plots.\n",
     "    \"\"\"\n",
     "    # fn plot args\n",
-    "    x = tf.linspace(start_val, end_val, m_steps ** 2 + 1)\n",
+    "    x = tf.linspace(start_val, end_val, m_steps**2 + 1)\n",
     "    y = fn(x)\n",
     "\n",
     "    fig = plt.figure(figsize=(16, 4))\n",
diff --git a/notebooks/supplemental/labs/autoencoder.ipynb b/notebooks/supplemental/labs/autoencoder.ipynb
index 905c0911..4838bf55 100644
--- a/notebooks/supplemental/labs/autoencoder.ipynb
+++ b/notebooks/supplemental/labs/autoencoder.ipynb
@@ -609,7 +609,7 @@
     "    filenames = sorted(filenames)\n",
     "    last = -1\n",
     "    for i, filename in enumerate(filenames):\n",
-    "        frame = 2 * (i ** 0.5)\n",
+    "        frame = 2 * (i**0.5)\n",
     "        if round(frame) > round(last):\n",
     "            last = frame\n",
     "        else:\n",
diff --git a/notebooks/supplemental/labs/deepconv_gan.ipynb b/notebooks/supplemental/labs/deepconv_gan.ipynb
index d5f8be3a..6049ccb4 100644
--- a/notebooks/supplemental/labs/deepconv_gan.ipynb
+++ b/notebooks/supplemental/labs/deepconv_gan.ipynb
@@ -828,7 +828,7 @@
     "    filenames = sorted(filenames)\n",
     "    last = -1\n",
     "    for i, filename in enumerate(filenames):\n",
-    "        frame = 2 * (i ** 0.5)\n",
+    "        frame = 2 * (i**0.5)\n",
     "        if round(frame) > round(last):\n",
     "            last = frame\n",
     "        else:\n",
diff --git a/notebooks/supplemental/solutions/autoencoder.ipynb b/notebooks/supplemental/solutions/autoencoder.ipynb
index 2a497a88..ed108136 100644
--- a/notebooks/supplemental/solutions/autoencoder.ipynb
+++ b/notebooks/supplemental/solutions/autoencoder.ipynb
@@ -653,7 +653,7 @@
     "    filenames = sorted(filenames)\n",
     "    last = -1\n",
     "    for i, filename in enumerate(filenames):\n",
-    "        frame = 2 * (i ** 0.5)\n",
+    "        frame = 2 * (i**0.5)\n",
     "        if round(frame) > round(last):\n",
     "            last = frame\n",
     "        else:\n",
diff --git a/notebooks/supplemental/solutions/deepconv_gan.ipynb b/notebooks/supplemental/solutions/deepconv_gan.ipynb
index 2d5447fe..709ee18a 100644
--- a/notebooks/supplemental/solutions/deepconv_gan.ipynb
+++ b/notebooks/supplemental/solutions/deepconv_gan.ipynb
@@ -888,7 +888,7 @@
     "    filenames = sorted(filenames)\n",
     "    last = -1\n",
     "    for i, filename in enumerate(filenames):\n",
-    "        frame = 2 * (i ** 0.5)\n",
+    "        frame = 2 * (i**0.5)\n",
     "        if round(frame) > round(last):\n",
     "            last = frame\n",
     "        else:\n",