The Essential AIGP Certification Study Guide for Privacy Teams

This post was guest written by Nkechi Agugoesi LL.M, FIP, a member of the DataGrail Contributor program.

The IAPP Artificial Intelligence Governance Professional (“AIGP”) certification has become increasingly essential for any privacy professional who wants to understand, manage, or work with AI responsibly, whether in legal, compliance, technical, product, or governance roles. Having studied for and taken previous IAPP certifications, the AIGP felt like a natural starting point because I was already familiar with the IAPP educational materials and exam style.

Studying for the AIGP helped me understand AI terminology, the laws governing AI development and deployment, safe use of AI products in organizations, and the implementation of frameworks necessary to limit enterprise risk. Many countries are developing national AI strategies to create policies that could lead to local AI regulations and, ultimately, national AI laws. The IAPP AIGP provides the essential foundation I need to keep up with the fast-evolving AI governance landscape. 

Building on that foundation, here are my study tips to help guide your preparation.

AIGP Study Tips

1. Start with the official IAPP AIGP Body of Knowledge and Exam Blueprint Version 2.0.1 (Effective Date: February 3, 2025)

The current version of the IAPP AIGP Body of Knowledge (“BoK”) comprises four domains. To ignore the BoK is to begin the certification journey on the wrong foot! Use the AIGP BoK in tandem with every reading for the certification, highlighting each sub-topic in every domain as you study along.

A tip I personally use while studying is to match the sub-topic of each domain with the study material so that I’m sure each sub-topic has been covered and understood.

(Note: IAPP published a new AIGP BoK which applies to test takers taking the AIGP after February 2, 2026.)

2. Watch the IAPP AI Governance Professional Online Training

For test takers with access to the AIGP online training I recommend watching the videos more than once. Also, don’t skip the articles referenced in each video.  They add helpful context and deepen your understanding. Doing both will make your preparation far more thorough and strengthen your grasp of the entire course.

3. Read the Foundational Documents

The OECD Recommendation of the Council on AI is a key document for understanding why AI regulation matters. It outlines the core principles that guide AI policy and highlights the considerations countries and organizations should take into account when developing AI laws, regulations, or policies.

Another essential resource is the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI, which sets out the principles that should shape the development, deployment, and implementation of AI systems.

4. Brush up on Regulations, Laws, and Frameworks

The NIST Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework  (AI RMF 1.0) is required reading before taking the AIGP exam. It’s a practical guide that shows how organizations can put AI governance into action across different sectors.

You should also review the EU AI Act—the first comprehensive AI law which took effect on August 1, 2024, with most provisions applying in 2026. It’s quickly becoming a global model for AI regulation, so understanding its requirements is especially helpful if your organization operates in the EU. The AIGP exam does not cover individual U.S. state AI laws, but the EU AI Act is essential. 

The Microsoft Responsible AI Impact Assessment Template is another important document to be familiar with. Like DPIAs or PIAs, it helps you understand how to conduct an AI Impact Assessment and tailor it to your organization.

5. Courses Outside the IAPP AIGP Professional Online Training

Exploring other courses tailored to studying for the AIGP certification may also be useful for test takers who feel that the IAPP AIGP online training is inadequate. Tailored courses on websites like Udemy or Coursera may supplement your knowledge for taking the AIGP exam.

6. And finally…Practice, Practice, Practice Questions

I find that the IAPP practice questions help test takers get better prepared for any certification. They build familiarity with the  language and content  and the way IAPP questions are asked and presented. 

I suggest starting with the practice questions from IAPP, and then using any other practice questions available through the websites in point 5 above. Above all ensure that you are very thorough in your AIGP certification preparation. If in doubt, supplement knowledge with personal research to achieve sound understanding.

Good luck!