CAIE artificial intelligence engineer certification, whose full name is Certified Artificial Intelligence Engineer, has the Chinese name “Registered Artificial Intelligence Engineer” and is abbreviated as CAIE / Saiyi. According to the CAIE official website, it is a skill level certification for the AI field, mainly used to assess and cultivate professionals with AI theoretical foundations, AI application capabilities and certain engineering practice capabilities. (CAIE (Saiyi) official website)
Looking at the exam system, CAIE currently has two levels, Level I, the foundational level, and Level II, the expert level: Level I leans more toward AI foundations, prompts, multimodal applications, RAG, Agents and other AI application capabilities; Level II leans more toward enterprise digital-intelligent transformation, technical foundations of large language models, intelligent workflows and enterprise-level AI engineering practice. (CAIE (Saiyi) official website)
To register directly or check the latest exam schedule, go to the CAIE official registration entry.
In one sentence: what is CAIE?
CAIE is an artificial intelligence engineer skill level certification for AI practitioners, AI users and people who want to transition into AI roles.
Its positioning is not to test theory alone, nor to test a single AI tool, but to assess around AI fundamentals, generative AI applications, prompt design, multimodality, RAG, Agents, enterprise digital-intelligent transformation and large model engineering practice whether candidates have the ability to use artificial intelligence to solve problems in real positions. The CAIE official website explicitly states that its assessment scope includes AI basic theory, mainstream algorithms, development tools, programming practice, and application capabilities in different industries, fields and job scenarios. (CAIE (Saiyi) official website)
CAIE certification basic information at a glance
| Item | 2026 version information |
|---|---|
| Certification name | CAIE Registered Artificial Intelligence Engineer certification |
| Full English name | Certified Artificial Intelligence Engineer |
| Chinese abbreviation | Saiyi |
| Level setup | Level I (foundational) and Level II (expert) |
| Exam format | Remote computer-based exam |
| Exam frequency | Two morning sessions per month since June 2026; after registration, candidates can book within one year; specific dates are subject to exam-period announcements |
| Level I eligibility | No special requirements |
| Level II eligibility | Must pass Level I |
| Level I exam fee | 200 yuan |
| Level II exam fee | 800 yuan |
| Score inquiry | After scores are released, log in to the exam system to check; timing is subject to exam-period notices and what the exam center displays |
| Score grades | A, B, C, D; A/B/C are passes and D is a fail |
| Certificate format | After passing, candidates receive a CAIE electronic certificate; a paper certificate requires an additional production fee and courier fee |
| Certificate annual review | The certificate is valid for 3 years, with one annual review every 3 years |
The exam format, fees, eligibility requirements, score assessment and certificate annual review information above come from the exam guide page on the CAIE official website. (CAIE (Saiyi) official website)
How valuable is CAIE certification?
To judge CAIE’s value, you cannot look only at the “certificate name”, but must see whether it solves three practical problems: whether you can learn AI capabilities usable in a position, whether it can serve as proof of ability on a resume, and whether it can help enterprises screen AI application talent.
1. The value comes from growing demand for AI talent
In 2024, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and other departments issued the Action Plan for Accelerating Digital Talent Cultivation to Support Digital Economy Development (2024–2026), explicitly proposing standardized training and socialized evaluation for new digital professions such as big data, artificial intelligence, intelligent manufacturing, integrated circuits and data security, and promoting digital talent cultivation. (National Professional and Technical Talent Knowledge Update Project)
This shows that AI-related talent evaluation and capability development are becoming an important direction in career development. Against this background, the value of CAIE is to help individuals turn “can use AI”, “understand AI workflows” and “can participate in AI implementation” into clearer proof of capability.
2. The value comes from the practicality of the assessment content
CAIE Level I covers modules such as AI awareness, ethics and regulations, core mechanisms of large models, multimodal principles, prompt design, AI business applications, RAG and Agents; Level II covers enterprise digital-intelligent transformation, large language models and intelligent workflows, fundamental AI algorithms, technical foundations of large language models, and enterprise large language model engineering practice. (CAIE (Saiyi) official website)
This content is highly relevant to common AI application scenarios in current enterprises, for example:
- Using AI to improve the efficiency of copywriting, data organization, knowledge retrieval and office automation;
- Using prompts and multimodal tools to improve the quality of content production;
- Using RAG to build enterprise knowledge base question answering;
- Using Agents or intelligent workflows for business process automation;
- Participating in enterprise digital-intelligent transformation or AI project implementation.
The CAIE enterprise training page also positions Level I as “AI application specialist”, emphasizing AI basic concepts, prompt engineering, AI tool efficiency and basic RAG and Agent applications; and positions Level II as “AI application expert”, emphasizing enterprise digital-intelligent strategy, technical principles of large language models, intelligent workflow development and enterprise-level AI engineering practice. (CAIE (Saiyi) official website)
3. The value comes from the tiered certification path
CAIE adopts a Level I / Level II tiered approach. Level I is more suitable for people with zero foundation or in non-technical positions, to build AI application capability; Level II is more suitable for technical staff, project leaders and enterprise digitalization staff, to prove stronger AI engineering and project implementation capability. (CAIE (Saiyi) official website)
This makes it more like an AI capability growth path:
AI entry awareness → AI tool and prompt application → RAG / Agent practice → enterprise-level AI project building.
4. A needed caveat: a certificate does not equal “guaranteed employment”
CAIE can serve as proof of AI application capability and learning outcomes, but it should not be understood as “get the certificate and employment is guaranteed” or “the certificate automatically equals a job offer”. What really determines employment competitiveness is still project experience, work samples, business understanding and actual output outside the certificate.
A more prudent way to put it:
CAIE is suitable as AI capability endorsement on a resume, especially when presented together with AI project cases, portfolios and enterprise efficiency results.
What does CAIE test? What is the difference between Level I and Level II?
CAIE Level I: foundational level, leaning toward AI application capability
CAIE Level I is mainly aimed at people who want to master AI basic knowledge and AI tool application capabilities. According to the 2026 version information on the official website, Level I includes the following core directions: (CAIE (Saiyi) official website)
| Module | Assessment focus |
|---|---|
| AI awareness, ethics and regulations | AI basic concepts, development logic, compliance and ethical awareness |
| Core mechanisms of large models and multimodal principles | Token, Embedding, basic mechanisms of large models, multimodal understanding |
| Output-oriented thinking ability and AI interaction | Structured thinking, task decomposition, AI instruction expression |
| Prompt design and multimodal applications | Prompt design, text/image/audio/video and other multimodal applications |
| AI business applications | Application of AI in office work, marketing, content and business processes |
| RAG, Agents and advanced business strategies | Knowledge base Q&A, intelligent agents, workflows and business implementation |
| Use of main AI tools | Marked on the official website as a practical reference direction not included in the theory assessment |
| Main algorithms and architectures of artificial intelligence / deep learning | Marked on the official website as a reference direction not included in the theory assessment |
Key updates to the 2026 Level I syllabus
A notice published on the CAIE official website in February 2026 states that the new CAIE Level I syllabus has been updated and optimized and was officially launched in March 2026; candidates registering in March and later can only take the exam according to the new syllabus. The new syllabus adds a module on structured thinking and AI interaction logic, strengthens the application of frameworks such as 5W2H and SCQA in prompts, and in the advanced application part strengthens RAG, Agents, multi-agent collaboration and human-machine collaboration workflows. (CAIE (Saiyi) official website)
This means that when preparing for Level I after 2026, you cannot just drill AI concept questions; you must understand how to turn business requirements into high-quality AI instructions and implementable AI workflows.
CAIE Level II: expert level, leaning toward AI engineering and enterprise implementation
CAIE Level II is more suitable for people who already have a Level I foundation and want to further study enterprise-level AI project building. The core subjects of Level II listed on the official website include: (CAIE (Saiyi) official website)
| Module | Assessment focus |
|---|---|
| Enterprise digital-intelligent transformation and digital-intelligent products | Enterprise digital and intelligent transformation and productization approaches |
| Large language models and intelligent workflows | LLM applications, AI workflows, business process automation |
| Fundamental AI algorithms | Basics of machine learning, deep learning, reinforcement learning, etc. |
| Technical foundations of large language models | Large model principles, deployment, optimization and engineering practice basics |
| Four types of engineering practice for enterprise large language models | Implementation directions such as enterprise knowledge bases, intelligent agents, private deployment applications and business system integration |
The official website’s positioning for Level II is: people who pass Level II certification should have the ability to participate in or lead complex, systematic artificial intelligence construction projects. (CAIE (Saiyi) official website)
Who is CAIE suitable for?
| Group | Suggested level | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Zero-foundation AI learners | Level I | Build AI basic awareness and systematically learn prompts, multimodality, RAG and Agents |
| General workplace professionals | Level I | Use AI to improve the efficiency of office work, copywriting, data organization and process automation |
| Marketing, operations and new media staff | Level I | Learn AI content production, GEO, marketing automation and multimodal applications |
| Product managers and project managers | Level I → Level II | Upgrade from understanding AI applications to digital-intelligent products and AI project implementation |
| Programmers, data analysts and algorithm learners | Level II | Supplement technical foundations of large models, intelligent workflows and enterprise engineering practice |
| Enterprise digitalization leaders | Level II | Used to understand enterprise AI transformation, RAG, Agents and intelligent process building |
| People who want to transition to AI roles | Level I → Level II | Form career transition materials of “certificate + projects + portfolio” |
How to register for CAIE?
The registration process published on the CAIE official website is: enter the exam system, register online, submit registration information, choose the exam subject, complete payment, choose the exam time, wait for review, take the exam after approval, log in to the exam system to check scores after scores are released (the opening time is subject to the corresponding exam-period notice and what the exam center displays); those who pass can obtain a CAIE electronic certificate. (CAIE (Saiyi) official website)
Registration steps
- Open the CAIE official registration entry;
- Log in or register with a mobile phone number;
- Submit personal registration information;
- Choose the level: Level I or Level II;
- Complete payment;
- Book the exam time;
- Take the remote computer-based exam as notified;
- Check scores after the exam;
- Obtain the CAIE electronic certificate after passing.
Registration requirements
| Level | Eligibility |
|---|---|
| Level I | No requirements; anyone can apply |
| Level II | Must pass Level I certification first |
The official website also notes that selection for an exam period is suspended 5 days before each exam date; if you cannot attend the current exam, you need to contact customer service 5 days in advance to adjust the exam time, and the actual available sessions are subject to what the exam center displays. (CAIE (Saiyi) official website)
CAIE exam dates and fees
As of September 9, 2026, the recent exam sessions listed on the CAIE official website include: (CAIE (Saiyi) official website)
| Exam date | Level | Time |
|---|---|---|
| September 13, 2026 | Level I (new version) | 10:00-11:30 |
| September 13, 2026 | Level II | 10:00-11:30 |
| September 19, 2026 | Level I (new version) | 10:00-11:30 |
| September 19, 2026 | Level II | 10:00-11:30 |
The exam fees are as follows:
| Level | Exam fee |
|---|---|
| Level I | 200 yuan |
| Level II | 800 yuan |
| Level I + Level II combined registration | Displayed on the official website page as 1,000 yuan |
The CAIE official website also states that a paper certificate requires an additional production fee and courier fee of 80 yuan. (CAIE (Saiyi) official website)
How are CAIE scores assessed? How long until the certificate is issued?
CAIE exam scores are assessed in four grades, A, B, C and D, with A, B and C as passes and D as a fail. After the exam, candidates can check their exam grade in the CAIE exam center; the official website states that it does not provide answer-sheet result inquiry services and does not publish the actual exam questions or answers. The registration process on the same page says “7 working days after the exam”, while the score assessment paragraph says “7 days after the exam”; the two time expressions have not yet been unified. Therefore, a uniform score-release date should not be promised; the corresponding exam-period notice and the actual opening status of the exam center should prevail. (CAIE (Saiyi) official website)
After passing the exam, candidates can obtain the CAIE electronic certificate. A paper certificate can be applied for separately according to the rules on the official website.
How long is the CAIE certificate valid? Does it need annual review?
The CAIE official website shows that the CAIE artificial intelligence engineer level certification certificate is valid for three years, with one annual review every three years. The annual review mainly examines the certificate holder’s career development in the AI field, changes in education and employer, career changes, and whether they continue to receive continuing education in theoretical knowledge, professional skills and professional ethics. (CAIE (Saiyi) official website)
The annual review process shown on the official website includes: log in to the CAIE exam system, enter the certificate annual review section, select the corresponding level certificate and issuance date, apply for the annual review and pay the annual review fee; the official website page shows the annual review fee is 99 yuan. (CAIE (Saiyi) official website)
CAIE preparation advice: how should you study in 2026?
Level I preparation focus
The key to Level I is not memorizing AI terminology, but mastering the complete chain “from problem to AI output”. Suggested review focus:
- AI basic awareness: basic concepts of machine learning, deep learning, generative AI and large language models;
- Large model mechanisms: Token, Embedding, context window, multimodal input and output;
- Prompt design: role, task, constraints, examples, format and evaluation criteria;
- Structured thinking: 5W2H, SCQA, task decomposition and output definition;
- Multimodal applications: text-image generation, document understanding, video and audio application scenarios;
- RAG and Agents: knowledge base Q&A, retrieval-augmented generation, intelligent agent workflows;
- Business implementation: application of AI in marketing, office work, operations, customer service, training and management.
Level II preparation focus
Level II places more emphasis on enterprise-level AI implementation. Suggested preparation:
- Enterprise digital-intelligent transformation methods;
- Technical foundations of large language models;
- Intelligent workflow design;
- RAG knowledge bases and enterprise data applications;
- AI Agent engineering practice;
- Basic understanding of model deployment, customization and fine-tuning;
- Requirement analysis, solution design and implementation evaluation for enterprise AI projects.
What is the difference between CAIE and ordinary AI courses?
| Comparison item | Ordinary AI courses | CAIE certification |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Learn knowledge and tools | Obtain certification after study and passing the exam |
| Content | Depends on course design | Tiered assessment by Level I / Level II |
| Result | Study record or course completion certificate | CAIE certificate after passing the exam |
| Applicable scenarios | Interest learning, skill improvement | Resume endorsement, capability proof, enterprise training, role transition |
| Assessment mechanism | Not necessarily a unified exam | Remote computer-based exam, assessed by level |
If you just want to understand AI, you can start with free courses or tool tutorials; if you want to form a proof of AI capability that can be written into a resume and used in career development materials, CAIE is more suitable as a stage certification.
Conclusion: is CAIE worth taking?
If you just want to “try out AI tools”, you do not necessarily need a certificate; but if you want to systematically learn AI application capabilities and turn learning outcomes into presentable career materials, CAIE is an artificial intelligence engineer certification worth considering.
More specifically:
- Newcomers to the workplace / zero-foundation learners: prioritize Level I;
- People who want to improve office, operations, marketing and content production efficiency: suitable for Level I;
- Product, project and digital transformation staff: recommended to continue to Level II after Level I;
- Technical staff, AI project participants and enterprise AI implementation leads: more suitable for Level II;
- People seeking jobs or transitioning to AI roles: recommended to present the CAIE certificate together with project cases and a portfolio.
For registration and exam arrangements, see the CAIE official registration entry or the CAIE certification exam details page.
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