SAIPM-CP certification badge
SAIPM-CP / Cohort-Based Certification

Most AI
initiatives fail.
Not because the
technology, but
how the project
was led.

The Strategic AI Project Management Certified Practitioner is the only certification built around the ALIGN360-AI Framework. A six-phase methodology designed for the project manager's role in AI delivery.

Built for the leaders who govern, sequence, and de-risk AI work. Not the engineers who write the model.

Enroll in next cohort →See the framework
Format
Cohort, live
Duration
16 hours
Designation
SAIPM-CP
Built around
ALIGN360-AI
The only certification built around the ALIGN360-AI Framework●Six phases / four enablers●For PMs, PMO leaders, transformation directors●The only certification built around the ALIGN360-AI Framework●Six phases / four enablers●For PMs, PMO leaders, transformation directors●
01 The Gap

Your team can build the model.
Can anyone govern the project?

The published research is clear. The majority of enterprise AI initiatives never reach production, and the failures are rarely technical. They stall at strategic alignment, data readiness, governance, and adoption. Each one a project management problem.

Traditional project management certifications teach you to manage scope, schedule, and cost. They were not designed for probabilistic systems, model drift, retraining loops, or the regulatory and ethical guardrails that AI delivery demands. SAIPM-CP closes that gap.

~80%
of enterprise AI projects fail to deliver expected business value, per multiple industry studies.
6
phases in the ALIGN360-AI Framework, mapped to the AI delivery lifecycle.
4
cross-cutting enablers that govern teams, alignment, oversight, and adoption.

Built for governance, not engineering.

You don't need to write Python to govern an AI project. You need to read a data assessment, challenge a model risk report, sequence cross-functional delivery, and hold vendors accountable for outcomes. That's what SAIPM-CP teaches.

Enough technical depth to govern. No more than that.

02 The ALIGN360-AI Framework
ALIGN360 Framework for AI Value Delivery

Six phases.
Four enablers.
One operating system
for AI delivery.

The framework is the spine of the SAIPM-CP curriculum. Every module, lab, and assessment maps to a phase. Every governance decision maps to an enabler. You learn it the way you'll use it on Monday morning.

Phase 01

Align Strategy

Translate executive vision into AI initiatives mapped to measurable business outcomes. Stop sponsoring science projects.

Phase 02

Leverage Value

Define the value hypothesis, quantify expected return, and prioritize the AI portfolio against opportunity cost.

Phase 03

Identify Data & Risks

Assess data readiness, surface model risks, and establish governance guardrails before delivery begins.

Phase 04

Guide Delivery

Select the right delivery approach, build a high-performing cross-functional team, and create an AI roadmap that connects execution to strategy.

Phase 05

Navigate Iteration

Manage the experimental nature of AI model development, evaluation cycles, and the iterative learning loops that separate successful AI projects from failed ones.

Phase 06

Integrate AI

Operationalize models into business workflows, MLOps, and the change management that makes adoption stick.

High-Performing Teams
Strategic Alignment
Governance
Adoption Enablement
03 Who it's for

If you sponsor, sequence, or sign off
on AI work, this is for you.

SAIPM-CP is designed for the people accountable for AI delivery outcomes, not the people writing the model code.

i.

Senior Project & Program Managers

Adding AI delivery competence to a strong PMP or SAFe foundation.

ii.

PMO & EPMO Leaders

Standing up AI governance, intake, and portfolio practices inside an enterprise PMO.

iii.

Transformation Directors

Leading digital, data, or AI transformation initiatives that cross multiple business units.

iv.

AI Product Leaders

Building product organizations around AI capabilities needing a delivery framework for probabilistic systems.

v.

Consultants & Advisors

Advising clients on AI initiatives. Add a recognized methodology and certification to differentiate.

vi.

Data & AI Practice Leads

Running internal AI practices or centers of excellence needing delivery rigor.

04 Curriculum

Sixteen hours. Six phases.
One operating system.

Live cohort sessions and applied labs built around the work you will be doing, with the playbook, prompt guide, and toolkit you take back to your own organization.
M·01
AI Foundations for Project Managers
The vocabulary, the lifecycle, the failure modes. Enough technical depth to govern.
Prework
M·02
Aligning AI to Business Strategy
Mapping initiatives to outcomes. Building a defensible business case.
Phase 01
M·03
Value Hypothesis
Defining the value hypothesis, quantifying expected return, and setting the success measures the initiative will be judged on.
Phase 02
M·04
Data Readiness, Risk, and Governance
Reading a data assessment. Surfacing model risks. Setting governance guardrails.
Phase 03
M·05
Leading AI Delivery
Selecting a delivery approach, building a high-performing team, and creating an AI project roadmap.
Phase 04
M·06
Navigating AI Experimentation and Evaluation
Managing the experimental nature of AI models, evaluation frameworks, and iterative development cycles.
Phase 05
M·07
Adoption, Integration, and Outcome Realization
Operationalizing into workflows. Driving the change management that determines usage.
Phase 06
M·08
Exam / Capstone
Individual students complete the SAIPM-CP certification examination. Corporate clients complete a capstone AI delivery plan for a real initiative in their own organization. See the full certification requirements below.
Corporate Clients
05 What you walk out with

Not a credential to hang.
An operating system to run.

Outcome i.

The SAIPM-CP Designation

Evidence that you've developed competency in leading and governing AI delivery. Use it on your profile, your proposals, and your practice.

Outcome ii.

ALIGN360-AI Framework

A six-phase, four-enabler operating system you can apply across AI initiatives and portfolios. A shared language for sponsors, delivery teams, and governance forums.

Outcome iii.

AI Delivery Leadership Playbook

Your practical field guide for applying Align360-AI after the course, including decision points, questions, tools, governance practices, and implementation guidance.

Outcome iv.

AI Project Leader Prompt Guide

Purpose-built prompts that help you use AI throughout the delivery lifecycle to analyze, prepare, challenge assumptions, develop artifacts, facilitate decisions, and move the work forward.

Outcome v.

AI Delivery Toolkit

Templates, assessments, governance artifacts, intake tools, and practical instruments you can put to work immediately.

Outcome vi.

A Peer Network of AI Delivery Leaders

Cohort-based by design. The people in the room are the people you'll trade notes with for years.

Two paths to certification.

Individual students earn SAIPM-CP through a certification exam. Corporate cohort participants complete a capstone: an AI delivery plan for a real initiative in their own organization. Built throughout the program, presented to peers, and defended with governance and prioritization decisions that hold up under scrutiny.

Two paths to certification. One standard of rigor.

CertificationEst. 2026
SAiPM
-CP
Strategic AI Project Management
Certified Practitioner
06 About the certification

A credential built for the PM's role in AI delivery.

SAIPM-CP is the only certification built around the ALIGN360-AI Framework. The framework, the manual, and the assessment instruments were developed specifically for the people accountable for AI delivery outcomes inside enterprises.

The certification complements the project management foundation you already hold. It does not replace it. Bring your PMP, your SAFe, your existing credentials. Add the AI delivery layer.

DesignationSAIPM-CP
ProviderPPM University
MethodologyALIGN360-AI
FormatLive virtual cohort
Exam feeIncluded in tuition
RecertificationContinuing education
07 Certification Requirements

What it takes to earn the credential.

To earn the SAIPM-CP credential, candidates must satisfy all certification requirements established by the certifying organization.

Requirement 1

Complete authorized SAIPM training

Candidates must successfully complete an authorized Strategic AI Project Management training program approved by the certifying organization.

Authorized training must include
  • All seven required SAIPM learning modules
  • A minimum of 16 hours of approved instruction
  • Required practice scenarios and exercises
  • The attendance and participation requirements established for the authorized training program

Completing authorized training alone does not confer the credential. Both requirements must be met.

Requirement 2

Pass the SAIPM-CP certification examination

The SAIPM-CP certification examination is designed to determine professional competency in strategic artificial intelligence project management. The examination evaluates both knowledge and the ability to apply strategic AI project management principles and the ALIGN360-AI framework to realistic project situations and decision-making scenarios.

Examination format
Questions
50
Time limit
120 minutes
Passing score
70%
To pass
35 of 50
  • Multiple choice, single best answer
  • Computer-based examination
  • Scenario-based and applied-knowledge questions
  • All scored questions weighted equally, no partial credit
  • No scheduled breaks. You manage your own time
  • You receive a pass or fail result and your score
08 From the room

What SAIPM-CP graduates say.

Project managers who have already completed the program, in their own words.

“
Xavier Billingsley is exceptionally knowledgeable about AI and its application to Project and Program Management.

The course was comprehensive, well structured, and delivered with a consistently high quality of instruction. It covered the full AI project lifecycle, from aligning initiatives with business strategy and building the business case through data governance, risk, iterative delivery, systems integration, and organizational adoption. I especially appreciated the practical focus on assisting Project Managers lead AI initiatives responsibly while delivering measurable business value. I highly recommend PPM University’s SAIPM-CP certification course to Project Managers who want the knowledge, tools, and confidence to successfully lead AI-focused projects.

Carol
SAIPM-CP graduate
“
If you’re a PM wondering whether this course is right for you, my answer is yes. Sign up.

Xavier was a wonderful facilitator who made the information easy to absorb and understand. She used real-life examples and exercises that helped put everything into perspective and made the concepts feel practical and relevant. AI is here, and learning how to work with it is becoming increasingly important. This course helps you think beyond traditional project delivery and gives you a different lens for approaching products, innovation, and decision-making. I walked away with a better understanding of AI and how it can be applied in the real world.

Kiki
SAIPM-CP graduate
“
This course really showed me a more effective way to integrate AI into a business, regardless of the size.
Kevin
SAIPM-CP graduate
09 Already completed PMI-CPMAI?

Skip the overlap. Move into delivery leadership.

You've already invested in developing your AI project knowledge. The SAIPM-CP Accelerator recognizes that foundation and moves you directly into the Align360-AI operating system and the practical leadership side of AI delivery.

Rather than repeating foundational material, you'll focus on developing the capabilities needed to align, prioritize, govern, lead, navigate, and integrate.

Explore the SAIPM-CP Accelerator →
What you get with the Accelerator
✓ Full Align360-AI six-phase methodology
✓ AI Delivery Leadership Playbook
✓ AI Project Leader Prompt Guide
✓ AI Delivery Toolkit
✓ SAIPM-CP designation upon completion
10 Frequently Asked Questions

Everything else you need to know.

What is SAIPM-CP?
SAIPM-CP stands for Strategic AI Project Management Certified Practitioner. It is the only certification built around the ALIGN360-AI Framework, a six-phase, four-enabler methodology designed for the project manager's role in AI delivery.
Do I need AI technical experience to take SAIPM-CP?
No. SAIPM-CP is designed for the people accountable for AI delivery outcomes, not the engineers writing the model. You learn enough technical depth to govern AI work effectively without needing prior AI implementation experience.
How does SAIPM-CP complement the PMP?
The PMP certifies your ability to manage projects. SAIPM-CP adds the AI delivery layer: how to govern probabilistic systems, manage model risks, lead cross-functional AI teams, and drive adoption. They complement each other. Learn about PMP60.
What is the ALIGN360-AI Framework?
The ALIGN360-AI Framework is a proprietary six-phase methodology: Align Strategy, Leverage Value, Identify Data and Risks, Guide Delivery, Navigate Iteration, and Integrate AI. It includes four cross-cutting enablers: High-Performing Teams, Strategic Alignment, Governance, and Adoption Enablement.
Can my organization run a private SAIPM-CP cohort?
Yes. PPM University offers private corporate cohorts of SAIPM-CP for organizations building AI delivery capability. Visit the Corporate Training page or book a discovery call.
11 Continue your credential path

Build the full leadership stack.

AI Knowledge + Credential

PMI-CPMAI

Build your AI project management knowledge and earn a globally recognized PMI credential.

→
Complete Pathway

Compare AI Programs

Not sure which AI program fits? Compare PMI-CPMAI, SAIPM-CP, and the combined pathway side by side.

→
12 Enroll

The next cohort starts soon.
The seats are limited by design.

Cohorts are intentionally small. The peer network is part of the curriculum, and that only works at human scale. If you lead AI delivery, sponsor it, or advise on it, this is the room.

Enroll in the next cohort →Download the syllabus