EC-Council Expands AI Certification Portfolio to Strengthen Readiness and Security of US AI Workforce
With $5.5 trillion in global AI risk exposure and 700,000 US workers in need of retraining, four new AI certifications and Certified CISO v4 help bridge the gap between AI adoption and workforce readiness..
EC-Council, creator of the world-renowned Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) credential and a global leader in the use of cybersecurity education, today launched its Enterprise AI Credential Suite, featuring four introductory role-based AI certifications and the Certified CISO v4, a senior cyber leadership program. The dual launch is the single largest expansion of the EC Council’s portfolio in its 25-year history. It addresses a structural gap that no single tool, platform, or policy can solve alone: AI is growing faster than the workforce trained to operate, protect, and control it.
The launch is consistent with the US priorities for workforce development and the use of AI education defined in Executive Order 14179, a pillar of workforce development for the AI Action Plan of July 2025, and Executive Orders 14277 and 14278, which emphasize increasing AI education methods and the creation of work-related skills in all professional projects and skills, moving the role of the AI organization every day. and decision making.
That urgency is reflected in both economic exposure and labor force. IDC estimates that uncontrolled AI risks could reach $5.5 trillion globally, while Bain & Company generates 700,000 AI and cybersecurity startup gaps in the United States. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Economic Forum (WEF) have also identified workforce readiness, rather than access to technology, as the main barrier to AI-driven productivity and growth, especially as adoption accelerates across sectors.
Security pressure increases in tandem with acquisitions. Eighty-seven percent of organizations report AI-driven attacks, and AI-generated traffic has increased by 890 percent, increasing the number of attack sites that many groups are still learning to defend against, while AI talent remains concentrated, with 67 percent of AI talent located in just 15 US cities and women representing only 28 percent of AI workers as AIipasis posts as part of access, which highlights each access point.
“AI is moving from exploration to infrastructure, and workers must keep up with it,” said Jay Bavisi, Group President, EC-Council. “These programs are designed to empower professionals across discovery, security, and management, so organizations can scale AI with confidence and clear accountability.”
Role Aligned Certifications
The Enterprise AI Credential Suite is designed to demonstrate how AI capability is being developed in practice. Artificial Intelligence Essentials (AIE) serves as a foundation, creating effective AI fluency and responsible use in all roles, and is supported by the EC-Council’s proprietary Adopt. Protect. Rule. (ADG) framework, which describes how AI should be used at scale in real environments.
Accept: Prepare teams to use AI with intent, readiness and protection
Protect: Protect AI systems against threats such as rapid injection, data poisoning, model exploitation, and AI supply-chain compromise
Manage: Embed accountability, oversight, and risk management into AI systems from the start
Within this structure, four new certifications specifically target the specific needs of employees throughout the AI lifecycle.
- Artificial Intelligence Essentials (AIE) build basic AI literacy.
- Certified AI Program Manager (CAIPM) equips to translate AI strategy into execution, align teams, govern, and deliver to drive measurable ROI and business-level intelligence.
- Certified Offensive AI Security Professional (COASP) build advanced risk assessment capabilities in LLMs, simulate exploits, and protect the AI infrastructure that strengthens businesses against emerging threats.
- Certified AI for Governance and Behavior (CRAGE). focuses on Responsible AI, Governance and Ethics at enterprise scale in accordance with NIST/ISO.
Along with the new AI certifications, Certified CISO v4 updates senior leadership education online for AI-driven risk environments, strengthening leadership readiness as intelligent systems become part of core business operations and security decision-making.
“Security leaders are now accountable for systems that learn, adapt, and impact results at speed,” Bavisi added. “The certified CISO v4 prepares leaders to clearly manage AI-driven risks, strengthen governance, and make informed decisions when responsibility is on the line.”
The portfolio also builds on the EC-Council’s long-term work with governments and defense organizations, including the recognition of the DoD 8140 basic certification, as AI security and workforce readiness take on greater importance in the country.
To explore the full range of training and certification opportunities, visit the EC-Council AI Courses library.
About the EC-Council:
EC-Council is the creator of the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) program and a leader in cybersecurity education. Founded in 2001, EC-Council’s mission is to provide high-quality training and certification for cyber security professionals to keep organizations safe from cyber threats. EC-Council offers more than 200 certificates and degrees in various cybersecurity domains, including forensics, security analysis, threat intelligence, and information security.
An ISO/IEC 17024 accredited organization, EC-Council has certified more than 350,000 professionals worldwide, with clients ranging from government agencies to Fortune 100 companies. EC-Council is the gold standard in cybersecurity certification, trusted by the US Department of Defense, Army, Navy, Air Force, and the world’s leading companies.
For more information, visit: www.eccouncil.org
