AAISM

ISACA states that AAISM candidates must hold an active CISM or CISSP certification. The registration page repeats this before you register. There is no separate experience-verification step described at registration, but plan on holding one of those two credentials before you pay, because the requirement applies at registration time.

ISACA lists three practice areas: AI Governance and Program Management, AI Technologies and Controls, and AI Risk Management. The certification is positioned around identifying, assessing, monitoring and mitigating risk associated with enterprise AI solutions, plus implementing policy and ensuring responsible, effective AI use. ISACA's exam content page was unavailable at the time of writing, so no published domain weightings can be confirmed.

ISACA's public AAISM pages do not state the number of items, the exam duration or the passing score. Anyone quoting a precise count or time limit is likely relying on an older or unofficial source. Check the official exam candidate guides linked from ISACA's AAISM page before you build a pacing strategy around a specific number.

ISACA lists US$459 for members and US$599 for non-members. Certification also requires a US$50 application processing fee after you pass. If you are not already a member, compare the member rate plus membership dues against the non-member rate before deciding, since the gap between the two exam prices is US$140.

AAISM exams are computer-based and administered at authorized PSI testing centers globally, or as remotely proctored exams. One important exception: residents of India, Mainland China and Hong Kong cannot use live remote proctoring and must sit the exam at a testing center. Verify PSI test site availability and check system compatibility before registering, as ISACA advises.

Registration is continuous, and once you register you have a six-month eligibility period to take the exam. You can schedule as early as 48 hours after paying the registration fee, but appointments are only released 90 days in advance, so a desired site or date may not appear until closer to the time.

You can reschedule without penalty during your eligibility period if you do so at least 48 hours before your appointment. ISACA's AAISM page does not describe a retake policy, including any waiting period or additional fee, so confirm retake terms with ISACA support before assuming you can re-sit immediately after a failed attempt.

Start with AI Governance and Program Management to build the policy, oversight and accountability vocabulary that the other areas assume. Then study AI Technologies and Controls, since model lifecycle, data and monitoring controls are hard to reason about without governance context. Finish with AI Risk Management, which draws on both. Use the 12 free practice questions early as a diagnostic, not as a final check.

Two patterns. First, treating AAISM as a general AI literacy exam: it assumes existing security management expertise and tests AI-specific threats, controls and risk decisions. Second, underestimating the administrative path: the CISM or CISSP prerequisite, the six-month eligibility window, the 90-day booking horizon, and applying for certification within five years of passing all catch people out.

Passing is only the first step. To become certified you must also pay the US$50 application processing fee, adhere to ISACA's Code of Professional Ethics and Continuing Professional Education Policy, and apply within five years of passing the exam. ISACA's AAISM page does not state a certification validity period, so confirm maintenance requirements in MyISACA.