Certification
Three levels, one published standard.
AWG certification shows customers, employees and partners that a business is adopting AI responsibly. Each level has published requirements, is reviewed by AWG against the AWG Standard, version 1.0, and carries a public record anyone can check.
AI Aware is free. AI Aligned and AI Ambassador are each $1,500 per year. AWG runs the assessment, the review and the credential. Vetted partners deliver any implementation work, and only if you choose it.
- Issued by
- Aligned Workforce Group, PBC
- Assessed against
- The AWG Standard, version 1.0
- Valid for
- 12 months, then renewed
- Verified at
- withawg.com/verify
The levels compared
What each level requires, and what it gives you.
Each level includes everything in the level before it. Nothing is awarded for a fee alone: AWG reviews the evidence before issuing any credential.
| Level |  AI AwareLevel 1 |  AI AlignedLevel 2 |  AI AmbassadorLevel 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Any small or medium-sized business | Businesses committed to the AWG Standard | Businesses that advocate publicly for responsible adoption |
| What it signifies | Entry level. Complete the three free assessments, name an executive as your AI Steward, adopt an AI use policy, and attend the executive training session. | Commitment level. File your AI Use Disclosure Report, build a basic Workforce Impact Plan, and promote AWG to your vendors and clients. Includes everything in AI Aware. | Same price as AI Aligned, deeper commitment. Stand up an Alignment Dividend Fund and prefer vendors and partnerships that carry AWG certification. Includes everything in AI Aligned. |
| You commit to |
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| You receive |
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| AWG reviews | 6 published requirements | 10 published requirements | 11 published requirements |
| Price | Free | $1,500 per year | $1,500 per year |
| Term | 12 months, renewed annually | 12 months, renewed annually | 12 months, renewed annually |
| Certificate ID | Begins AW- | Begins AL- | Begins AM- |
Level 1 · Free
AI Aware
Entry level. Complete the three free assessments, name an executive as your AI Steward, adopt an AI use policy, and attend the executive training session.
Requirements AWG reviews
| Requirement | How it is established | Recurs |
|---|---|---|
| Sign the Leadership Commitment StatementYour owner or CEO signs the one-page declaration affirming awareness of AI use and commitment to responsible use. | Signed attestation | Once |
| Complete your initial AI inventoryCatalog the AI tools already in use across your teams — informal and personal use counts. Fill in the AI Inventory Starter, then mark this done. | Self-reported | Each year |
| Adopt and share the AI Use PolicyComplete the AI Use Policy (or adapt your own), then distribute it to all staff. | Self-reported | Once |
| Deliver the AI Aware Intro TrainingRun the 30–45 minute intro session with your team and keep an attendance record. | Self-reported | Each year |
| Run the Employee AI Awareness SurveyShare the survey link with staff. Responses land in the portal automatically. | Survey responses | Each year |
| AWG review and certificationAWG verifies your materials and issues the AI Aware certification, badge, and public verification record. | AWG review | Once |
Level 2 · $1,500 / yr
AI Aligned
Commitment level. File your AI Use Disclosure Report, build a basic Workforce Impact Plan, and promote AWG to your vendors and clients. Includes everything in AI Aware.
Requirements AWG reviews
| Requirement | How it is established | Recurs |
|---|---|---|
| Adopt the Acceptable Use PolicyComplete the policy with your organization’s details and put it into effect. | Self-reported | Once |
| Adopt the AI Governance PolicyName your roles, approval authority, escalation path, and review cadence. | Self-reported | Once |
| Sign the Transparency CommitmentThe public commitment to honest, transparent AI use. | Signed attestation | Once |
| Adopt the Vendor AI Review PolicySet out how AI vendors are evaluated and approved. | Self-reported | Once |
| Classify your AI use casesRecord every AI use case in the Risk Classification register with its risk level. | Register entries | Each year |
| Review your AI vendorsRun the 32-question Vendor Review Checklist for each AI vendor you rely on. | Completed tool | Each year |
| Complete a Workforce Impact AssessmentAssess how each AI use case affects roles and people, and record the outcome. | Register entries | Each year |
| Deliver the AI Governance TrainingTrain the people who run your governance program, and keep an attendance record. | Self-reported | Each year |
| Run the Governance Readiness SurveyShare the 24-question readiness assessment with your leadership team. | Survey responses | Each year |
| AWG review and certificationAWG reviews your governance evidence and issues the AI Aligned certification and badge. | AWG review | Once |
Level 3 · $1,500 / yr
AI Ambassador
Same price as AI Aligned, deeper commitment. Stand up an Alignment Dividend Fund and prefer vendors and partnerships that carry AWG certification. Includes everything in AI Aligned.
Requirements AWG reviews
| Requirement | How it is established | Recurs |
|---|---|---|
| Adopt the AI Ethics PolicyThe ethics standard for an Ambassador-tier organization. | Self-reported | Once |
| Adopt the Reskilling & Transition PolicyApproved by leadership: how affected workers are reskilled or transitioned. | Self-reported | Once |
| Document your Alignment Dividend programDefine the mechanism, the distribution rule, and the Level 4 evidence plan, then generate the commitment document. | Self-reported | Once |
| Notify affected workersIssue the worker notification letter covering your AI adoption and the dividend commitment. | Self-reported | Once |
| Complete an Advanced Workforce Impact AssessmentRequired for each Medium-or-higher AI use case. | Register entries | Each year |
| Populate the AI Benefit Measurement ToolOne full quarter of data, or a robust baseline, showing the gains AI is producing. | Register entries | Each year |
| Complete the Security ReviewTrack open findings through to closure. | Register entries | Each year |
| Deliver the AI-Augmented Workflows TrainingDelivered to affected employees, with attendance documented. | Self-reported | Each year |
| Administer the Annual Employee AI Impact SurveyShare the link company-wide. A 60% response rate is the floor for representative results. | Survey responses | Each year |
| Run the Alignment Dividend Verification ChecklistThe same checklist AWG applies — run it yourself before verification so there are no surprises. | Completed tool | Each year |
| AWG verification and certificationDocument review, employee voice check, dividend audit, and security evidence checks, followed by the certification decision. | AWG review | Once |
What AWG does directly
Two services AWG delivers itself, included in the fee.
Implementation work happens with vetted partners. These two services stay with AWG and are part of the AI Aligned and AI Ambassador certification fee.
Continuous Monitoring
An annual engagement that turns your data into specific recommendations: where you've moved, what's working, and what to invest in next. Renewal follows from it; the value is the insight.
- Year-over-year movement across the three assessment areas
- Anonymized peer benchmarking by industry and region
- Three to five specific next-step recommendations grounded in the data
- An Annual Insight Report (PDF) within 14 days
AI Ambassador includes a mandatory mid-year check-in.
Grants and incentives
AWG identifies federal and state grants, incentives and credits that match your profile and surfaces them in your account. For AI Ambassador businesses we go further, with hand-picked opportunities and active coordination.
- Automated identification feed (AI Aligned and AI Ambassador)
- Active coordination on hand-picked opportunities (AI Ambassador)
- Hands-on application and advocacy support (hourly add-on)
Identification is included in the fee. Hands-on application support is billed hourly.
Ready to start?
Take the free assessment, then book a free review call to talk through your results. There is no obligation to hire anyone.
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