Production AI Institute · Independent certification for production AI practice
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Certification Programmes

Credentialing the professionals who build and govern AI in production

PAI credentials are the only vendor-neutral certifications anchored to the Production Safety Framework — a published, independently governed standard for production AI deployment.

4
Certification levels
8
PSF domains assessed
40
Competency statements
Free
AIDA examination

Individual certifications

Eight credentials across three tracks — examinations (AIDA/AIMA), portfolio pathways (CPAP/CPAA), and specialist examinations (CAIS/CAIG/CLLO/CALLS).

AIDA
Foundation
Examinations
AI Deployment Associate

A 20-question scenario-based examination covering all 8 PSF domains. Tests applied knowledge of production AI safety principles. Results are immediate. No prerequisites.

Format
Online examination, unproctored
Review time
No time limit
Fee
Free
AIMA
Foundation — Management
Examinations
AI Management Associate

The AIDA equivalent for non-technical leaders. Covers AI governance, risk management, vendor assessment, and regulatory compliance. For product managers, delivery leads, and AI governance roles.

Format
Online examination, unproctored
Review time
No time limit
Fee
Free
CPAP
Practitioner
Portfolio Pathways
Certified Production AI Practitioner

Submit a portfolio documenting a real production AI deployment assessed against PSF criteria. Reviewed by a PAI assessor within 5 business days. Evidences hands-on production competence.

Format
Portfolio submission + assessor review
Review time
Review within 5 business days
Fee
$297
CPAA
Advanced
Portfolio Pathways
Certified Production AI Architect

Extended portfolio submission assessed by PAI reviewers. Requires CPAP. The senior PAI credential for principal engineers and practice directors.

Format
Portfolio + structured panel interview
Review time
Assessed within 10 business days
Fee
$797
CAIS
Practitioner
Specialist Examinations
Certified AI Safety Specialist

Advanced examination covering AI red-teaming, prompt injection defence, output monitoring, multi-agent trust propagation, and safety evaluation frameworks. For practitioners building or operating safety-critical AI systems.

Format
Online examination, 25 questions, 55 minutes
Review time
55 minutes
Fee
Free
CAIG
Strategic
Specialist Examinations
Certified AI Governance Professional

Covers EU AI Act compliance, NIST AI RMF, ISO 42001, algorithmic accountability, and board-level AI governance. For governance leads, legal, risk, and compliance professionals. Exam in development — target Q3 2026.

Format
Online examination (in development)
Review time
TBC
Fee
Free
CLLO
Practitioner
Specialist Examinations
Certified LLM Operations Engineer

Practical examination covering LLM fine-tuning, RAG architecture, evals frameworks, inference optimisation, and cost management. For ML engineers and platform teams deploying large language models at scale. Exam in development — target Q4 2026.

Format
Online examination (in development)
Review time
TBC
Fee
Free
CALLS
Practitioner
Specialist Examinations
Certified AI LLM Strategist

The first certification of its kind anywhere. Covers AI discoverability strategy, llms.txt implementation, model context protocol, AI search behaviour, and building brand presence in an AI-mediated information landscape. Exam in development — target Q2 2026.

Format
Online examination (in development)
Review time
TBC
Fee
Free

Organisational designations

Independent recognition that an organisation's AI practice meets the PSF standard.

CAI
Certified AI IntegratorConsultancies and MSPs

For organisations whose business is building and operating AI systems for clients. Requires ≥3 AIDA holders, at least one CPAP holder, and a review of client deliverables.

$4,997/yearEnquire →
CAE
Certified AI EnterpriseEnterprises deploying AI internally

For enterprises that deploy AI at scale internally. Requires a documented AI governance framework aligned to PSF and annual self-assessment audit with PAI review.

$12,997/yearEnquire →

For employers specifying PAI in job descriptions and procurement requirements, see the Employer Recognition Guide.

Study resources

All resources are free. AIDA candidates typically use the study guide and practice examination before sitting.

Study Guide
Domain-by-domain worked examples
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Practice Examination
Full-length mock exam with explanations
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Exam Blueprint
Domain weightings and topic coverage
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CPAP Rubric
Assessment criteria used by PAI assessors
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PSF Framework
All 8 domains and 40 competency statements
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Pre-Deployment Checklist
Practical PSF checklist for production deployments
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