The Applied AI Institute
Certifications Methodology For teams Verify Browse certifications
Methodology & transparency

Nothing about the standard is hidden.

We publish how exams are built, how they're scored, and how often people pass. A credential is only as trustworthy as the method behind it, so we put the method in the open.

Published pass rate
61%of candidates pass

Updated quarterly across all sittings. A credential nobody can fail proves nothing, so we report the real figure, including when it moves against us.

Pass rate by layer
L1 · Knowledge74%
L2 · Constructed prompt68%
L3 · Outcome execution57%
How scoring works

Measured against ground truth, not opinion.

01

Hidden test sets

Outcome tasks run against cases the candidate never sees, so scores reflect capability, not memorized answers.

02

Published rubrics

Judged sections use rubrics we publish in advance. You can read exactly what earns marks before you sit.

03

Calibrated & reviewed

Items are calibrated for difficulty and fairness, then reviewed by the advisory board before going live.

A published rubric · outcome execution

See exactly what earns marks.

Download full rubric (PDF) →
CriterionWhat we checkWeight
Correctness
Output is right across the hidden cases.
40%
Format adherence
Result matches the required structure.
25%
Faithfulness
Nothing invented beyond the source.
25%
Robustness
Holds up across varied, messy inputs.
10%
Oversight & advisory board

An independent board governs the standard.

Members oversee how exams are designed, scored, and kept fair across four domains. The board is independent of any model provider and of any training organization.

Domain 01
Assessment standards
Item design and exam regulation
Domain 02
Psychometrics
Validity, reliability, fairness
Domain 03
Industry practice
Real tasks and current tools
Domain 04
Academic oversight
Independence and ethics

Read the method. Then sit the exam.

Everything we grade on is public before you start.

The Applied AI Institute
© 2026 · Independent examining body · Reg. AAI-001