The process to obtain the AIGP certification is fairly straightforward. You must first pay for the exam on the IAPP website and then pass the exam. Simple…
However, unfortunately, there are complications to passing the exam:
- You need to find the materials to study with; and
- You need to work out how long and to what depth you should study.
Locating the Study Materials
Unlike the CIPP exams from the IAPP (such as the CIPP/E , CIPP/US, CIPP/A and CIPP/C), the AIGP does not yet have a dedicated textbook from which the exam questions will derive. Rather, you have to locate and study the themes yourself from the topics outlined in the Body of Knowledge published by the IAPP. In other words, you need to go out and research the topics yourself.
The Body of Knowledge sets out the topics that should be studied in order to pass. The problem is that you can spend more time looking for relevant and trustworthy materials than actually studying. That said, a diligent student can cover all the topic areas sufficiently with self-study. This would work better with someone with extensive previous experience working with AI, since they will know search terms and can identify more reliable source.
For example, if you search for the definition of accuracy, you will find at least a few differing definitions. If you lack experience, you may have troubles comprehending which you should rely upon.
If you undertake training with a provider, such as Smart AI Compliance, the materials have been preprepared for you, meaning that you do not waste time searching for reliable materials and you can be confident that all exam topics have been covered.
How Long will I Need to Obtain the AIGP Certification?
The second question is how long you will need to study for. Whilst different people specify amounts of time, these are not extremely helpful. The amount you will need will depend on your individual circumstances. It will depend on:
- Your existing experience with AI;
- Your ability to read the English language; and
- Your preferred study methods.
Your Existing Experience with AI
The single most important factor to determining the amount of study time you will need is your current experience with artificial intelligence. The AIGP covers many areas of AI governance, including law, governance, international standards and frameworks. It also includes many “technical” questions, such as common issues, means of training AI systems, characteristics of different types of algorithms and technical terminology. f you are interested in obtaining the AIGP, most likely you have some experience in one or a few of these aspects of the AIGP. Such experience will mean you will naturally understand certain parts of the exam already and understand other parts more easily. You can definitely obtain the AIGP without any experience or previous knowledge of AI Systems, though it will need slightly more study time.
Your Ability to Speak English
The AIGP exam is currently only available in English. However, it is not a prerequisite to speak perfect English to pass the exam. The exam is multiple choice and there is no need to write anything at all in the responses. Rather, passing means clicking on the correct answer. This means you need to read English sufficiently (not perfectly). Writing, speaking or listening in English is irrelevant. However, someone with a higher ability in English will usually absorb the materials quicker and be able to memorize answers will less revisions. Those who are not native speakers should be confident they can pass the exam, though should factor some extra time to study.
In our training packages, we prefer to instruct in English from native English speakers, since that is the language the exam must be taken. However, we can deliver in some other languages if that is preferred. Contact us today if you want to find out more.
Your Preferred Study Methods
To obtain the AIGP Certification, you will require some knowledge of terminology that should be memorized. The may involve some repetition and rote learning. That will suit some people more than others.
However, in general, this is not a exam for which you should simply memorize terms. Many of the question relate to short scenarios that you must understand. You will need some understanding of how the AI actually operates.
For this reason, the study should involve a combination primarily working from understanding of how concepts operate, combined with some memorization of terminology. If you are not strong at either of these forms of learning, you should allow yourself some extra time.
What Does This All Mean in Practice?
If you want to obtain the AIGP Certification, our experience suggests that studying for a total of 30 to 40 hours is usually sufficient, with extra for those who have factors identified in this article.
If you have significant previous experience or can easily understand technical concepts, then just 8 hours of guided learning will be sufficient, supplemented by 20-30 hours of self-guided revision of the key concepts and revision of specific example questions.
If any of the difficulties mentioned in this article apply to you, it may be best to procure 16 or 24 hours of guided training, followed by 20 hours of self-guided revision.
Of course, your budget will also influence which proportion of the training should be paid training through a professional and how much will be self-guided.