EC-Council Expands AI Certification Portfolio in Line With France 2030 Plan

EC-Council’s new AI credential suite and updated executive program were introduced in Paris to support workforce development in line with France’s AI education priorities.

The Enterprise AI Credential Suite includes four role-based certifications and an updated Certified CISO v4 program. This launch is part of EC-Council’s largest expansion of its certification offerings in its 25-year history.

The four new certifications are Artificial Intelligence Essentials, Certified AI Program Manager, Certified Offensive AI Security Professional, and Certified Responsible AI Governance & Ethics Professional. The updated Certified CISO v4 program is designed for executive cyber leadership and addresses environments shaped by AI-related risks.

This expansion is intended to support France’s national AI strategy and the France 2030 plan, which focuses on increasing AI education and workforce skills. The France 2030 plan dedicates €2.22 billion over five years, with more than €700 million allocated to AI education initiatives.

What the numbers show

• France 2030 plan allocates €2.22 billion over five years for AI development
• Over €700 million from the plan is set aside for AI education
• IMF reports that AI will affect nearly 40% of jobs worldwide
• World Economic Forum projects 39% of workers’ core skills will change by 2030
• Generative AI traffic has increased by 890% according to organizational reports

France’s national AI strategy and the France 2030 plan emphasize the importance of expanding AI skills and applied knowledge to build workforce capability. The new certifications are intended to address these policy goals by offering training and validation for professionals in various AI-related roles.

EC-Council’s programs have previously received recognition under the DoD 8140 baseline certification, reflecting the organization’s involvement with government and defense sectors. The new AI-focused certifications extend this engagement to address evolving workforce needs.

According to EC-Council, most organizations have reported experiencing AI-driven attacks, and the rapid growth in generative AI traffic has increased the complexity of defending digital systems. The new certifications are positioned to help professionals respond to these developments.

Industry reaction

Jay Bavisi, Group President of EC-Council, stated that the expanded portfolio is designed to help professionals adopt AI responsibly, defend AI systems in practical settings, and ensure accountable governance.

EC-Council announced that the dual launch marks its largest single expansion to date, reflecting its ongoing commitment to supporting workforce readiness in AI and cybersecurity fields.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.