Certifications
Which AI Cert for Which Role
AI certifications now exist for governance, audit, security, risk, project management and engineering roles. This guide matches the main options to the roles they serve. Last reviewed September 2026.
Certifications by role
| Role | Certification | Offered by | Prerequisite |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI governance, privacy, legal and compliance | Artificial Intelligence Governance Professional (AIGP) | IAPP | None stated |
| IT and internal auditors | Advanced in AI Audit (AAIA) | ISACA | CISA, or certain audit and accounting designations such as CIA or CPA |
| Security managers and CISOs | Advanced in AI Security Management (AAISM) | ISACA | CISM or CISSP |
| IT and enterprise risk managers | Advanced in AI Risk (AAIR) | ISACA | One of several recognized certifications, such as CISA, CISM, CRISC, CGEIT, CDPSE, CISSP, CIA, CPA or PMI-RMP |
| AI management system implementers and auditors | ISO/IEC 42001 Lead Implementer or Lead Auditor | Certification bodies such as PECB | Varies by provider |
| Project and program managers leading AI projects | PMI Certified Professional in Managing AI (PMI-CPMAI) | PMI | Check PMI requirements |
| Business leaders and non-technical staff | Generative AI Leader | Google Cloud | None stated; foundational |
| Business and technical staff new to AI on AWS | AWS Certified AI Practitioner | AWS | None; foundational |
| Engineers building generative AI applications | AWS Certified Generative AI Developer, Professional; Google Cloud Professional Machine Learning Engineer; Microsoft Azure AI engineering certification (see note) | AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft | Hands-on experience recommended |
How to choose
- Start from your role. A certification that matches the work you do, or want to do, is worth more than a general one.
- Check prerequisites. ISACA’s advanced AI credentials require an existing certification, so plan the sequence.
- Look at job postings. See which credentials employers in your field actually request.
- Combine governance and technical knowledge. Governance roles benefit from a foundational technical credential, and technical roles benefit from understanding governance.
A note on vendor certifications
Cloud vendors update their AI certifications often. For example, Microsoft retired its Azure AI Engineer Associate exam (AI-102) on 30 June 2026, and industry sources report a successor exam focused on AI apps and agents. Always check the vendor’s official certification page for the current exam before you study.
Where to go next
Preparing for the AIGP? Read our AIGP Study Guide. For background on the topics these exams cover, explore AI Research.
Certification names, prerequisites and exam formats change. Confirm details with each certifying body before registering.
Questions leaders should ask
- Which certification best matches the work I want to be doing in two years?
- Do I already hold a prerequisite for an advanced AI credential?
- Which AI credentials appear in job postings for my target roles?