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AI security certifications in 2026: an honest comparison
Every AI security certification we could verify in October 2026 (ISACA AAISM, CompTIA SecAI+, GIAC GAIPS, IAPP AIGP, OffSec OSAI and more): price, format, who it is for.
Short answer
As of October 2026 there are only a few real AI security certifications. ISACA AAISM is for managers who already hold CISM or CISSP. CompTIA SecAI+ (launched February 2026) and GIAC GAIPS are for hands-on practitioners, IAPP AIGP is for AI governance, and OffSec OSAI is a practical exam for red teamers. ISC2's AI security certification is still in development, so pick by the job you do.
If you’re searching for an “AI security certification”, here’s the short version. There are now a few real ones, from ISACA, CompTIA, GIAC and IAPP, plus practical exams from OffSec and others. They test different jobs. A manager, a hands-on engineer, a governance lead and a red teamer should not take the same exam.
Everything below was checked on the official pages on 22 October 2026. Prices are the vendors’ list prices in USD and change by country and over time, so check the official link before you pay. Where a vendor’s page doesn’t show a number, we say so instead of guessing.
The comparison
| Certification | Who it’s for | Format | Price (list) | Prerequisite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISACA AAISM (Advanced in AI Security Management) | Security managers and CISOs running an AI security program | Computer-based exam, test centre or remote | $459 members, $599 non-members (+ $50 application fee) | Active CISM or CISSP |
| CompTIA SecAI+ (CY0-001) | Practitioners securing AI systems and using AI in security work | Up to 60 questions, multiple choice and performance-based, 60 minutes | Not shown on the certification page; see the CompTIA store | None required; CompTIA recommends 3 to 4 years in IT and 2+ years hands-on security |
| GIAC GAIPS (AI Platform Security) | AI/ML, AppSec and cloud security engineers, developers, auditors | 54 questions, 2 hours, 65% to pass | GIAC lists $999 for most practitioner certification attempts; the matching SANS course SEC545 is $8,260 | None |
| IAPP AIGP (AI Governance Professional) | Privacy, legal, risk and governance roles | Exam (see the IAPP handbook) | $649 members, $799 non-members | None |
| CSA TAISE (Trusted AI Safety Expert) | People leading safe and secure AI adoption, governance and risk | 60 multiple-choice questions, 120 minutes, 80% to pass | $795, training and two exam attempts included | None |
| OffSec OSAI (from AI-300 Advanced AI Red Teaming) | Red teamers and pentesters | 24-hour proctored practical exam against an AI-enabled environment | From $1,749 (course + exam, 90 days of access); Learn One $2,749 a year | None stated |
| Practical DevSecOps CAISP (Certified AI Security Professional) | AppSec, DevSecOps and MLOps engineers | Practical: 5 challenges in 6 hours, then a report within 24 hours | $1,099 list | None stated |
The cloud exams that now include AI
These are not “AI security certifications”, but the cloud vendors have started to put AI workloads into their security exams. If you secure a cloud for a living, one of these may be the better first step.
- Microsoft SC-500: Cloud and AI Security Engineer Associate. Microsoft retired AZ-500 on 31 August 2026 and points people to SC-500. The skills measured are identity, access and governance; storage, databases and networking; compute; and security posture, across Azure, hybrid and AI-enabled environments. 120 minutes; price depends on your country. (certification, study guide)
- AWS. There is no AWS certification named “AI security”. The closest pair is AWS Certified Security – Specialty (65 questions, 170 minutes, $300) for the security side, and AWS Certified Generative AI Developer – Professional (75 questions, 180 minutes, $300), which expects knowledge of AWS security best practices and identity management. (Security Specialty, Generative AI Developer)
- Google Cloud. Google’s certification list has security exams (Professional Cloud Security Engineer, Security Operations Engineer) and AI exams (Generative AI Leader, Agentic Architect, Machine Learning Engineer), but no exam dedicated to AI security. (Google Cloud certifications)
Coming, but not here yet
- ISC2. In July 2026 ISC2 asked members to volunteer to help define the knowledge and skills for an AI security credential. No exam or date has been published. (ISC2, 15 July 2026)
- More GIAC AI certifications. SANS and GIAC have announced four fully AI-focused certifications by the end of 2026, mapped to SEC535, SEC545, SEC595 and SEC598. GAIPS is the one we could verify as available. (SANS announcement)
Which one should you take?
- You manage security and already hold CISM or CISSP: ISACA AAISM. It is built for you and it’s the only one here that requires a senior credential first. If you audit, ISACA’s sister exam AAIA (Advanced in AI Audit) needs CISA or a similar designation. (AAIA)
- You’re a hands-on security practitioner who wants a recognised vendor-neutral exam: CompTIA SecAI+. Its biggest domain, at 40%, is securing AI systems.
- Your employer pays for SANS training: GIAC GAIPS with SEC545. With the $8,260 course it’s by far the most expensive route here.
- You work in privacy, legal or GRC: IAPP AIGP. It’s about governing AI, not breaking or defending it.
- You red-team for a living: a practical exam like OffSec OSAI proves more than multiple choice ever will.
- You secure Azure: SC-500 first. Microsoft names it as the replacement for the retired AZ-500.
One honest rule from the cloud roadmap applies here too: take the exam after you’ve done the work, not instead of it. In interviews, a lab you built and can explain beats a badge.
Where our course fits (and where it doesn’t)
We sell a course called AI Security Engineer. To be clear about what it is:
- It is not an industry certification and it isn’t accredited. You get a certificate of completion from The Sec Guy after a graded capstone.
- It is hands-on practice: prompt injection, RAG data leaks, agents and MCP, the AI supply chain, and securing AI workloads on AWS, Azure or Google Cloud, with a $0 local version of every lab.
- It covers many of the topics these exams test, so it can work as practice before one of them. It doesn’t replace an exam’s official study material.
- Founding price $49 or ₹499, then $199 or ₹1,999.
If you want to try before you pay, start with the free lesson It’s OK not to know this yet, or read how to become an AI security engineer.
Sources
All checked 22 October 2026.
- ISACA, Advanced in AI Security Management (AAISM) and Advanced in AI Audit (AAIA)
- CompTIA, SecAI+
- GIAC, AI Platform Security (GAIPS) and certification pricing; SANS, SEC545: GenAI and LLM Application Security
- IAPP, AIGP and AIGP exam in the IAPP store
- Cloud Security Alliance, TAISE
- OffSec, AI-300: Advanced AI Red Teaming (OSAI)
- Practical DevSecOps, Certified AI Security Professional
- Microsoft, Cloud and AI Security Engineer Associate (SC-500) and AZ-500 retirement notice
- AWS, Security – Specialty and Generative AI Developer – Professional
- Google Cloud, certifications
- ISC2, AI security certification development
- SANS, AI-focused certifications announcement
The Sec Guy is independent and isn’t paid by any of these vendors. Names are trademarks of their owners.