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AAIA preparation guide
AAIA exam tips: pace, exam-day rules and reading AI audit scenarios
Direct answer
AAIA gives you 90 questions in 150 minutes, an average of 100 seconds each, with no penalty for wrong answers. Read each scenario for the role, the audit stage and the AI evidence it gives you. The stronger option usually has the auditor evaluate, test or report, while the tempting one has the auditor fix, own or approve the AI system.
The pacing and reading strategies here are CertArc's, not ISACA rules, and they don't predict a result. The exam-day rules come from ISACA's AAIA Exam Candidate Guide.
Start AAIA baselineExam-day rules from ISACA's AAIA candidate guide (checked October 17, 2026)
| Rule | Test centre | Remote proctoring |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival and ID | Arrive at least 30 minutes early with a government ID that matches your registration name | The same ID rule, then a room scan and a mirror check |
| Lateness | More than 15 minutes late forfeits the fee | The same rule |
| Breaks | One break of up to 10 minutes with the proctor's permission; the timer keeps running | Never step away without the proctor's permission |
| Aids | No calculators, notes, paper, phones or smart watches | The same, and no note-taking |
| Food and drink | None, including water | None, including water |
| Proctor contact | In person | Live chat, in English only |
Original teaching example
A practice question: an insurer's claims model was retrained last quarter on new data. The model card still describes the old data, and no change record exists. Which should the auditor do FIRST? Update the model card; recommend rolling back the model; determine whether the retraining went through the change process; or report that the model is unreliable.
Determining whether the retraining went through the change process comes first, because it gathers the evidence a finding needs. Updating the model card is management's job, rolling back is the model owner's decision, and reporting the model as unreliable concludes before the evidence supports it. Treating retraining as a change to be controlled is the reasoning behind 2C (change management specific to AI).
Pace: 100 seconds is an average
It is not a limit on each question.
Answer what you are sure of and move on, and spend the time saved on scenarios where two options both sound responsible.
ISACA's AAIA guide doesn't describe flagging or returning to questions. A tutorial before the exam starts explains how the exam screen works, so watch it closely.
Qualifiers: FIRST, NEXT, BEST, MOST
On a FIRST question, several options may be right eventually.
Find what is still missing in the scenario: scope, an understanding of the AI system, or evidence. On a BEST or MOST question, compare how fully each option meets the audit objective.
Answer as the auditor
The auditor evaluates, tests and reports; management owns, fixes and decides.
“Answered as management, not as an auditor” names one kind of miss; it is not a rule that management answers are always wrong. In an advisory engagement the auditor can recommend, as long as independence holds.
Read the AI evidence
Ask what the scenario actually shows about the AI system.
A model card, a validation report, data lineage records, drift monitoring and an override log each prove something specific. The tempting answer often accepts a design description, or a vendor's results from other customers, as proof that a control works here.
Remote proctoring
Test your device early and clear your desk completely.
You complete a room scan and a mirror check, may not take notes, and can chat with the proctor only in English. A company laptop may need IT approval to install the secure browser. In India, mainland China and Hong Kong, AAIA is test-centre only.
Right after the exam
You see a preliminary result on screen; the official score arrives within 10 working days.
Don't photograph or screenshot the results screen; ISACA forbids it. Concerns about the exam administration go to ISACA support within 48 hours.
Sources and fact check
Source checked: 2026-10-17
- Study methods and examples are independent CertArc teaching guidance. ISACA's pages are the authority for exam rules and fees, which can change.
- Practice results do not convert to an official score or guarantee a pass. CertArc is not affiliated with or endorsed by ISACA.
Frequently asked questions
Can I go back to earlier questions in the AAIA exam?
ISACA's AAIA candidate guide doesn't say. The tutorial before the exam starts explains the exam screen, so watch it closely.
Can I take a break during the AAIA exam?
One break of up to 10 minutes, with the proctor's permission. The timer keeps running.
Is there a penalty for guessing?
No. ISACA scores the number answered correctly, so answer every question.
Can I bring water or a calculator?
No. ISACA's rules exclude food and drink, including water, as well as calculators and notes, at test centres and online.
Can I reschedule my AAIA exam?
Yes, without penalty, up to 48 hours before your appointment and within your eligibility period.
