Advanced in AI Audit (AAIA) exam

The AAIA (Advanced in AI Audit) is ISACA’s certification in auditing AI, for IT audit professionals who are, in ISACA’s words, “looking to gain recognition for their expertise, assuring AI-driven processes comply to the highest industry standards”. Every holder of an active CISA qualifies, and holders of 15 other designations, among them the CIA and the US CPA, qualify if they have an IT audit or IT advisory role.

Source: ISACA AAIA Exam Candidate Guide, pages 4 and 20; ISACA AAIA certification page

90 multiple-choice questions in 2.5 hours (150 minutes), taken on a computer at a PSI test center or remotely proctored. Every question has a stem, which may be a question or an incomplete statement, and four options, and every question is designed with one best answer.

Source: ISACA AAIA Exam Candidate Guide, pages 4, 6 and 10

ISACA’s guide tells candidates to read each question carefully, because a question may require choosing the answer based on a qualifier, such as MOST likely or BEST. You choose the correct or best answer from the four options, and the guide’s advice is to eliminate the answers you know are wrong and then make the best choice possible.

Source: ISACA AAIA Exam Candidate Guide, page 10

One break of no longer than 10 minutes is permitted, with your proctor’s permission. The exam is paused during an approved break, but the timer does not stop and no extra time is given, so the break comes out of your 150 minutes.

Source: ISACA AAIA Exam Candidate Guide, pages 12 and 14

ISACA reports a scaled score from 200 to 800, a conversion of your raw score to a common scale so that different versions of the exam are comparable. A score of 450 or higher passes, and 800 means every question answered correctly. Scores rest on the total number of questions answered correctly, whatever the domain, and there are no penalties for incorrect answers, so no question should be left blank. The domain results in your report are for information only.

Source: ISACA AAIA Exam Candidate Guide, pages 10 and 18

No. ISACA exams contain scored items as well as pre-test items, and pre-test items are not used to calculate the exam score. The guide does not say how many of the 90 are pre-test items.

Source: ISACA AAIA Exam Candidate Guide, page 18

A preliminary pass status appears on screen as soon as you finish. The official score is emailed and posted online within 10 working days, with details on applying for certification if you passed; question-level results are not provided. If you do not pass, you can request a rescore in writing within 30 days of the results’ release, for a fee of US$75, and PSI performs it.

Source: ISACA AAIA Exam Candidate Guide, pages 17 and 18

Four attempts within a rolling 12 months. After a first attempt that does not pass, you wait 30 days for the second, then 90 days after the second for the third and 90 days after the third for the fourth, paying the full registration fee each time. Once you pass, you cannot take the same exam again during the five years you have to apply, nor while you are certified.

Source: ISACA AAIA Exam Candidate Guide, page 19

US$459 for ISACA members and US$599 for nonmembers, nonrefundable and nontransferable. Registering opens a six-month eligibility period. The guide says one six-month extension can be bought for US$75, and on a later page that “No eligibility extensions are allowed”; the extension is the more specific rule. Appointments can be booked from 48 hours after payment and up to 90 days ahead, and moved without penalty up to 48 hours before.

Source: ISACA AAIA Exam Candidate Guide, pages 5, 6 and 9

In most places, yes: the exam is given at PSI test centers or remotely proctored, closed book either way. Residents of India, mainland China and Hong Kong can take it only at a test center. At home you complete a room scan and a mirror check before the exam begins, and you can talk to the proctor only in English, by live chat.

Source: ISACA AAIA Exam Candidate Guide, pages 6, 12, 15 and 16; ISACA AAIA certification page

English, Simplified Chinese and Spanish. To change your exam language you reschedule your testing appointment, at least 48 hours before it. QualExam’s AAIA lessons, questions and mock exam are in English.

Source: ISACA AAIA Exam Candidate Guide, pages 4 and 8

Every holder of an active CISA. Without a CISA, one of 15 other designations qualifies you as long as you have an IT audit or IT advisory role: the CIA; the US CPA; the ACCA and FCCA; CPA Australia’s CPA and FCPA; the Japanese CPA; the Canadian CPA; ICAEW’s ACA and FCA; ANAN’s CNA; CA ANZ’s CA and FCA; and HKICPA’s CPA and FCPA. ISACA has added designations since the exam launched, so its AAIA page holds the current list.

Source: ISACA AAIA Exam Candidate Guide, page 20; ISACA AAIA certification page; ISACA Expands Eligibility of First-ever Advanced AI Audit Certification

An active credential from ISACA’s list, a passing score, the US$50 application processing fee and an application, adherence to ISACA’s Code of Professional Ethics, Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and to the AAIA CPE policy, and compliance with the Information Systems Auditing Standards. You have five years from passing the exam to apply.

Source: ISACA AAIA Exam Candidate Guide, page 20; ISACA AAIA certification page

Earn and report at least 10 CPE hours a year, in the specialized domain of AI, and 30 over three years; keep the designation you applied with active; pay the annual maintenance fee (US$20 for ISACA members and US$35 for nonmembers, one fee however many ISACA Advanced certifications you hold); and comply with the annual CPE audit if you are selected.

Source: ISACA Maintain AAIA Certification page

ISACA’s exam content outline has three domains and 17 topics, and lists 23 supporting tasks apart from them, from evaluating impacts, opportunities and risk when integrating AI solutions within the audit process to evaluating that awareness programs align to the organization’s AI-related policies and procedures. The tasks are not tied to topics, and the outline gives the domains their shares of the exam and the tasks none. QualExam’s lessons follow the 17 topics.

Source: ISACA AAIA Exam Candidate Guide, pages 22 and 23

Lessons mapped to the exam content outline’s 17 topics, practice questions in the exam’s format of four options with one best answer, flashcards, and a timed mock exam of 90 questions on one 150-minute clock that draws each domain at its share. Every question here is original; none is AAIA exam content, which ISACA’s Terms of Use forbid candidates to copy, recreate or share. QualExam is an independent study resource, not one of ISACA’s Accredited Training Organizations, and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by ISACA.

Source: ISACA AAIA Exam Candidate Guide, pages 4, 10, 12 and 22