CompTIA launches SecAI+, a certification for securing and using AI
CompTIA launched SecAI+ on Feb. 17, a vendor-neutral certification that tests whether security professionals can protect AI systems and use AI tools in their own work. It is the first credential in what CompTIA calls its Expansion Series, meant to sit alongside existing role-based certifications.
The launch is one of several AI-focused security credentials that certification bodies have introduced since 2025, as employers report trouble finding people who understand both security and AI. For candidates, it is an early sign of how hiring managers may start to screen for AI security knowledge.
What the exam covers
According to CompTIA's certification page, exam CY0-001 has four domains:
- Basic AI concepts related to cybersecurity: 17 per cent
- Securing AI systems: 40 per cent
- AI-assisted security: 24 per cent
- AI governance, risk and compliance: 19 per cent
The exam has a maximum of 60 multiple-choice and performance-based questions in 60 minutes, with a passing score of 600 on a scale of 100 to 900. There are no formal prerequisites, but CompTIA recommends three to four years in IT, at least two of them hands-on in security, and knowledge equivalent to Security+, CySA+ or PenTest+.
In its launch announcement, CompTIA said more than 400 subject-matter experts helped develop the exam. It covers securing AI platforms, using AI to improve incident response, threat intelligence and penetration testing, and using AI with human oversight to automate compliance and risk tasks. CompTIA's chief technology evangelist, James Stanger, said it addresses "the cybersecurity-AI trifecta."
Cost and recognition
Training site StationX lists the U.S. price at US$298; Canadian pricing varies. In August, CompTIA said SecAI+ had earned accreditation from ANAB, the accreditation body that reviews certification programs against the ISO/IEC 17024 standard, which matters to employers and governments that require accredited credentials.
How it compares
SecAI+ is aimed at practitioners. ISACA's AI credentials, such as Advanced in AI Security Management, require an existing senior certification like CISM or CISSP and focus on management and audit. CompTIA estimates SecAI+ will retire about three years after launch, in line with its other exams.
What to do
Security analysts and engineers already working with AI tools can review the exam objectives to see where their gaps are. Those still working toward their first credential will usually get more value from Security+ first, which CompTIA lists as recommended background.
