AI Governance and Cybersecurity Credentials: Are They Valuable for Professionals?

In the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence (AI), the need for governance and cybersecurity expertise is becoming increasingly apparent. As adoption of generative AI proceeds at a breakneck pace, companies are becoming increasingly desperate for AI governance and cybersecurity experts.

One organization at the forefront of this movement is the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). The IAPP offers the AI Governance Professional (AIGP) certification, which costs $649 for members and $799 for non-members. The training program for this certification costs $1,000 and up. Wipro, a leading global information technology, consulting, and outsourcing company, sent its entire AI taskforce to take the IAPP's AIGP training to have a common language and a set of core foundational principles. Ivana Bartoletti, Wipro's chief privacy and AI governance officer, finds the certification valuable for consultants.

Bartoletti believes that it is not too early for AI to be governed, as there are already some laws on the books such as Europe's AI act and President Biden's executive order. She also notes that governance is an evolving matter, but we can't just look at it in relation to legislation or wait for standards.

Other organizations issuing AI certifications in governance and cybersecurity include the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) with its AI Risk Management Framework, Continuum GRC offering certifications including FedRAMP, StateRAMP, NIST 800-53, CMMC, SOC 1 and SOC 2, HIPAA, PCI-DSS 4.0, ISO 27001 and more, and Lazarus Alliance partnered with Continuum GRC providing cybersecurity audit certifications authorized by FedRAMP and StateRAMP.

Steve Ross, director of cybersecurity for the Americas at S-RM Intelligence and Risk Consulting, is interested in the AIGP certification and finds it valuable for consultants. Ross prefers a well-rounded skill set, with a background in AI and an understanding of governance, risk, and compliance.

However, not everyone agrees on the value of AI certifications. Priya Iragavarapu, VP of data science and analytics at AArete, believes that the field of AI governance is still not mature enough for certifications and prefers technical specifications for now. Nick Kramer, vice president for applied solutions at SSA & Company, shares this sentiment, believing that the value of AI governance certifications may not last long due to the rapid pace of change in the field.

Forrester analyst Jess Burn calls the proliferation of AI governance and cybersecurity certifications a "certification industrial complex". David Foote, chief analyst at Foote Partners, agrees, stating that companies typically pay more for demonstrated abilities than for certifications. Clients of consulting firms like to see that their consultants have official certifications, as it demonstrates that a person has taken the time to study and isn't just improvising.

Data protection and privacy make up about a third of AI governance, with the rest including algorithmic bias and fairness, intellectual property rights, content moderation issues, trust and safety issues, and management aspects. As the field continues to grow and evolve, it is clear that the demand for AI governance and cybersecurity experts will only increase.

In conclusion, while the value of AI certifications is a topic of debate, it is undeniable that the demand for AI governance and cybersecurity expertise is on the rise. Organizations like the IAPP, SANS Institute, and Continuum GRC are leading the charge in this new and exciting field. As the world continues to embrace AI, the need for governance and cybersecurity professionals will only become more critical.

AI Governance and Cybersecurity Credentials: Are They Valuable for Professionals?