ISACA AAISM and AAIA Guide: Exams, Fees and Preparation

Security and audit teams are being asked to govern, secure and assure AI systems, and most of them hold credentials that were written before generative AI reached production. ISACA's answer is two advanced credentials that sit on top of an existing certification: AAISM (ISACA Advanced in AI Security Management) for security managers and AAIA (ISACA Advanced in AI Audit) for auditors. This guide sets out who each one is for, the prerequisites, the exam domains and weights, costs, maintenance rules and a practical preparation plan. It is written for security managers, IT auditors and GRC practitioners deciding whether an AI add-on credential is worth the time. All exam facts were taken from ISACA's own credentialing pages, checked on 24 October 2026; ISACA can change fees and outlines, so confirm on isaca.org before you book.

Key takeaways

Both are add-on credentials, not entry points. AAISM requires an active CISM or CISSP; AAIA requires CISA or one of a defined list of accounting and audit designations with an IT audit or advisory focus.
The exams are short and weighted towards practice. Each has 90 questions; AAISM puts 38% on AI technologies and controls, AAIA puts 46% on AI operations.
The cost is identical. US$459 for ISACA members and US$599 for non-members, plus a US$50 application processing fee after passing.
Maintenance is lighter than a core ISACA credential but tied to it. 10 CPE hours a year and 30 over three years, and the prerequisite certification must stay active or the advanced credential is at risk.
Choose by role, not by hype. If you build and run AI security programmes, AAISM fits; if you plan and deliver assurance over AI systems, AAIA fits. Few people need both.

Who the certification is for

ISACA positions both credentials as advanced specialisations for people who already hold a foundation credential in their discipline. They test how existing security or audit judgement applies to AI, not whether you can train a model.

Question	AAISM	AAIA
Full name	ISACA Advanced in AI Security Management	ISACA Advanced in AI Audit
Primary audience	Security managers, CISOs and their deputies, security architects and advisers responsible for AI systems	IT auditors, internal auditors and assurance advisers reviewing AI systems
Core question the exam tests	How do I govern, risk-manage and control AI as part of a security programme?	How do I plan, test, evidence and report on AI governance and operations?
Foundation it builds on	CISM or CISSP	CISA or a listed audit or accounting designation
Typical outputs in the job	AI security policy, AI risk register, model and data controls, AI incident playbooks	AI audit plans, test procedures, sampling approaches, audit reports on AI use

ISACA's AAISM page describes the target candidate as someone holding CISM or CISSP with proven experience in security or advisory roles and some expertise in assessing, implementing and maintaining AI systems. Neither page states a separate number of years of AI experience. If your role is AI risk rather than security or audit, start from the risk route instead. See the CRISC Certification Guide.

Exam format and domains

Both exams are computer-based and delivered at PSI test centres worldwide or by remote proctoring. Residents of India, Mainland China and Hong Kong must sit at a test centre. Each exam has 90 questions. ISACA's credential pages and content outlines that we read do not state the exam duration, the passing score or an effective date for the current outline, so check the current ISACA candidate guide for those before exam day.

AAISM domains and weights

Domain	Weight	Sub-areas listed by ISACA
1. AI Governance and Program Management	31%	Stakeholder considerations, industry frameworks and regulatory requirements; AI-related strategies, policies and procedures; AI asset and data life cycle management; AI security program development and management; business continuity and incident response
2. AI Risk Management	31%	AI risk assessment, thresholds and treatment; AI threat and vulnerability management; AI vendor and supply chain management
3. AI Technologies and Controls	38%	AI security architecture and design; AI life cycle (model selection, training and validation); data management controls; privacy, ethical, trust and safety controls; security controls and monitoring

AAIA domains and weights

Domain	Weight	Sub-areas listed by ISACA
1. AI Governance and Risk	33%	AI models, considerations and requirements; AI governance and program management; AI risk management; privacy and data governance programs; leading practices, ethics, regulations and standards for AI
2. AI Operations	46%	Data management specific to AI; AI solution development methodologies and lifecycle; change management specific to AI; supervision of AI solutions (outputs, impacts and decisions); testing techniques for AI solutions; threats and vulnerabilities specific to AI; incident response management specific to AI
3. AI Auditing Tools and Techniques	21%	Audit planning and design; audit testing and sampling methodologies; audit evidence collection techniques; audit data quality and data analytics; AI audit outputs and reports

Two things stand out. AAISM is weighted towards controls (38%) with governance and risk equal; it expects you to know where controls sit in the AI life cycle, not just at the perimeter. AAIA puts nearly half the marks on how AI is built, changed, supervised and tested, so an auditor who only knows the audit method section will struggle.

Prerequisites and experience

AAISM prerequisite: ISACA states that candidates must hold an active CISM or CISSP. Proof of the active CISM or CISSP is also required to maintain AAISM. See the CISM Certification Guide.
AAIA prerequisite: all CISA holders qualify. Holders of CIA, US CPA, ACCA/FCCA, Canadian CPA, Australian CPA/FCPA, Japanese CPA, ICAEW ACA/FCA, Nigeria's CNA, CA ANZ CA/FCA and Hong Kong CPA/FCPA qualify where their role has an IT audit or IT advisory focus. See the CISA Certification Guide.
Experience: neither credential page states an additional years-of-experience requirement beyond the prerequisite. The experience is effectively inherited from the foundation credential.
Application: after passing, pay the US$50 application processing fee, agree to the ISACA Code of Professional Ethics and the CPE policy, and apply within five years of passing.
Registration window: registration is continuous. Eligibility lasts six months from registration, the fee must be paid in full before scheduling, appointments can be booked from 48 hours after payment and up to 90 days ahead, and rescheduling is free if done at least 48 hours before the appointment. Your registered name must match your government-issued ID.

Preparation plan

Most candidates already know the audit or security half of the syllabus. The plan below concentrates time on the AI-specific material and on the heavily weighted domain.

Week 1, baseline: download the content outline for your exam from ISACA, take ISACA's free 12-question practice quiz, and score yourself against each sub-area. Mark every sub-area where you could not explain a real example from your own work.
Weeks 2 to 3, frameworks: read the NIST AI RMF core (Govern, Map, Measure, Manage), the NIST AI 600-1 Generative AI Profile and the scope of ISO/IEC 42001:2023 (the AI management system standard). Both exams list frameworks and regulations as a tested area. See the NIST AI RMF Guide and the ISO/IEC 42001 Guide.
Weeks 3 to 5, the heavy domain: for AAISM, AI Technologies and Controls (38%): data controls, model life cycle, monitoring, privacy and safety controls. For AAIA, AI Operations (46%): change management, supervision of outputs, testing techniques and AI incident response. Build a one-page control or test for each sub-area.
Week 5, threats: work through the OWASP Top 10 for LLM Applications 2025 and map each risk to a control (AAISM) or a test step (AAIA). Both outlines list AI threats and vulnerabilities.
Week 6, question practice: use ISACA's question database (sold as a six-month subscription) or review manual. Review every wrong answer against the outline, not just the explanation.
Week 7, apply it: write an AI policy or an AI audit programme for one real system at work. This is where scenario questions are won.
Before booking: confirm duration, scoring and identification rules in the current ISACA candidate guide, and test your remote proctoring setup if you will not use a centre.

ISACA also sells an online review course, digital and print review manuals, a virtual workshop and runs a members-only study group. Buy one primary resource plus the question database; stacking every product rarely helps.

Cost, renewal and continuing education

Item	AAISM	AAIA
Exam fee (ISACA member)	US$459	US$459
Exam fee (non-member)	US$599	US$599
Application processing fee	US$50 (one-time)	US$50 (one-time)
Annual maintenance fee	US$20 member, US$35 non-member, due by 1 January	US$20 member, US$35 non-member, due by 1 January
Minimum CPE	10 hours each year, 30 over the 3-year cycle	10 hours each year, 30 over the 3-year cycle
CPE content rule	Hours must be appropriate to AAISM knowledge and tasks	Hours must be in the specialised AI domain
Dependency	Proof of active CISM or CISSP	Prerequisite certification must stay active

Multiple advanced credentials: ISACA states that holding several ISACA advanced certifications does not increase the total annual maintenance fee.
CPE double counting: ISACA's AAIA maintenance page says CPE that also meets another ISACA certification's requirement can count towards both, so plan AI training that serves your CISA or CISM cycle at the same time.
Total first-year cost: for a member, exam plus application fee is US$509 before study materials and membership dues.

Where it fits on the career path

These credentials signal a specialism, not seniority. They make most sense once you already work on AI systems or expect to within a year.

Your situation	Better choice	Why
CISM or CISSP holder running a security programme that now includes AI products or copilots	AAISM	Directly extends programme, risk and control skills to AI
CISA holder or internal auditor asked to audit AI use cases	AAIA	Tests audit planning, sampling and evidence for AI
Privacy or legal role focused on AI regulation	Neither first; consider IAPP AIGP	AIGP is aimed at AI governance and law. See the IAPP AIGP (AI Governance Professional) Guide
Risk professional owning an AI risk register	CRISC first	Builds the enterprise risk foundation
No CISM, CISSP or CISA yet	Earn the foundation first	You cannot apply without it

For identity practitioners, both syllabuses touch areas where AI agents and service accounts matter: data access by models, vendor and supply chain risk, and monitoring of AI outputs and decisions. AAISM's data management and security controls sub-areas are where governing the credentials and permissions AI agents use naturally sits. See the Agentic AI Security Guide.

How the domains map to governance frameworks

Exam area	NIST CSF 2.0	NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5	NIST AI RMF function
AAISM D1 / AAIA D1 governance and policy	GV.RR Roles, Responsibilities and Authorities; GV.PO Policy	PM-9 Risk Management Strategy	Govern
AAISM D2 / AAIA D1 risk management	GV.RM Risk Management Strategy	RA-3 Risk Assessment	Map, Measure
AAISM D2 vendor and supply chain	GV.SC Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management	RA-3	Govern, Manage
AAISM D1 AI asset and data life cycle	ID.AM Asset Management	PM-11 Mission and Business Process Definition	Map
AAIA D3 audit tools and techniques	GV.OV Oversight	CA-2 Control Assessments	Measure

This mapping is NHI Mgmt Group's own reading of the outlines, not an ISACA mapping. See the AI Governance Guide.

Practitioner checklist

Confirm your prerequisite (CISM or CISSP for AAISM; CISA or a listed designation for AAIA) is active and will stay active.
Download the current content outline from ISACA and note the date you checked it.
Check exam duration, scoring and ID rules in the current ISACA candidate guide before booking.
Score yourself against every sub-area and put most study time on the heaviest domain (38% AAISM controls, 46% AAIA operations).
Read the NIST AI RMF core, NIST AI 600-1 and the scope of ISO/IEC 42001:2023.
Map the OWASP Top 10 for LLM Applications 2025 to controls or audit tests you could defend.
Book within the six-month eligibility window and apply within five years of passing.
Plan CPE that counts towards both the advanced credential and your foundation certification.

ISACA AAISM and AAIA AI Certifications Guide: Exam, Requirements and Preparation