CIAT Launches CompTIA SecAI+ Bootcamp to Train the Next Generation of AI Security Professionals

Artificial intelligence has become both an innovation driver and a critical attack surface. Security teams must be ready. The California Institute of Applied Technology (CIAT) is meeting this challenge with its new CompTIA SecAI+ Bootcamp, an intensive five-day program designed to equip experienced security professionals to defend against and leverage AI in modern cybersecurity environments.

What Is the CompTIA SecAI+ Certification?

The CompTIA SecAI+ certification is a new professional credential that validates the skills technology professionals need to navigate the convergence of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. It addresses a growing need across the industry: security practitioners who understand AI; how AI systems are built, how AI models behave, how AI tools are exploited, and how to secure AI systems against both traditional and AI-specific threats.

The certification covers key domains, including AI risk management, AI governance, securing AI systems, threat intelligence in AI-driven environments, incident response for AI-related events, and responsible AI governance aligned with emerging frameworks such as the NIST AI RMF and the EU AI Act.

The CIAT SecAI+ Bootcamp is built around this certification, delivering the full curriculum through live virtual instruction over five consecutive days; combining conceptual mastery, theoretical knowledge, and hands-on laboratory work.

Brad Smith, IT certification program manager at CIAT, states, “Professionals with established cybersecurity expertise who recognize the importance of AI security can gain a strategic advantage through our SecAI+ bootcamp.”

Why AI Security Certification Matters Now

AI adoption is accelerating across every industry, and with it, a new class of security risks. Organizations are deploying AI systems across critical infrastructure and business functions, and those systems introduce novel vulnerabilities that traditional security controls weren’t designed to address. Threats such as prompt injection attacks, adversarial AI models, data poisoning, and the exploitation of generative AI tools are now active concerns for any security operations team.

Meanwhile, compliance requirements are catching up. Frameworks such as the NIST AI RMF and the EU AI Act are establishing expectations for how organizations should assess AI risk, implement security principles for AI deployments, and maintain continuous monitoring across the AI lifecycle. Security architects, SOC analysts, and risk managers who understand these frameworks will have a significant professional advantage.

According to Brian Matzelle, account director for academic markets at CompTIA, “Securing AI systems, managing AI-related risk, and supporting responsible AI governance are becoming increasingly important. Our certification enables cybersecurity professionals and teams to build the confidence required to operate effectively in environments with AI systems and AI-enabled tools.”

The OWASP LLM Top 10 and similar guidance make clear that AI-assisted security operations require a new foundation of knowledge, one that connects traditional security principles with the realities of AI technology. The CompTIA SecAI exam tests exactly that knowledge.

Who Should Attend

The SecAI+ Bootcamp is designed for seasoned security professionals, not entry-level practitioners. It’s designed for individuals who already have a strong security foundation and are ready to advance into AI security domains. CIAT recommends the program for:

• Experienced cybersecurity practitioners with 3–4 years of IT experience, including at least two years in active security operations
• Security operations specialists, defense engineers, and threat researchers looking to advance into AI security roles and AI-powered defensive strategies.
• Security engineers and security architects are responsible for designing and implementing secure AI systems within enterprise environments.
• Certified security professionals holding CompTIA Security+, CySA+, or PenTest+ credentials who want to distinguish themselves through advanced AI certification competencies
• Risk managers and compliance specialists tasked with securing AI deployments, managing AI risk, and establishing AI governance frameworks, including alignment with the NIST AI RMF and EU AI Act.
• SOC analysts looking to build fluency with AI-assisted security operations, threat detection using AI tools, and incident response for AI-related events

What You’ll Learn

The CompTIA SecAI+ curriculum is organized across core domains that reflect the full scope of AI security practice in the enterprise. Over five days, participants will gain the ability to:

• Understand AI systems architecture and how AI models introduce unique risk across the AI lifecycle.
• Identify and mitigate AI-specific threats, including prompt injection, model manipulation, and the exploitation of generative AI.
• Apply security controls and security principles tailored to securing AI systems and AI-assisted workflows.
• Conduct threat intelligence analysis and incident response in AI-enabled environments.
• Implement continuous monitoring and logging strategies for AI deployments.
• Align AI security practices with compliance frameworks, including the NIST AI RMF, the EU AI Act, and the OWASP LLM Top 10
• Support responsible AI governance and AI risk management at the organizational level

Each session combines instructor-led learning with practical lab work. Participants will not only prepare for the CompTIA SecAI exam but also practice the analysis, threat assessment, mitigation, and compliance tasks needed for immediate on-the-job application.

Five Days, Fully Immersive

What sets the CIAT bootcamp format apart is its intensity and focus. Each daily session moves participants from conceptual understanding to practical application, with lab work reinforcing every core topic. The live virtual format delivers the engagement of instructor-led training without requiring travel.

In five focused days, participants build a working command of the domains covered on the CompTIA SecAI+ exam and gain the confidence to operate effectively in security environments where artificial intelligence is present at every layer.

Unlimited Exam Attempts: No Added Pressure

Like all CIAT certification bootcamp programs, the SecAI+ Bootcamp includes unlimited attempts at the certification exam. Participants can retake the CompTIA SecAI+ exam as many times as needed until they pass, eliminating the financial and psychological pressure that often accompanies high-stakes AI certification testing.

Get Started

The first session begins May 26. Future dates are available for those who need more time to prepare or need to fit the program around their schedule.

For full program details, prerequisites, and enrollment information, visit the CIAT CompTIA SecAI+ Bootcamp page.