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First AI course in English: twelve editions in ItalyThe 12 AI Professional Profiles
UNI 11621-8:2026 is the first systematic codification of AI professional roles in Europe. Built on the European e-Competence Framework (EN 16234-1), it defines twelve profiles with role, skills, responsibilities and certification pathway. It is the reference framework for organisations implementing the EU AI Act.
Why UNI 11621-8 matters for international AI practitioners
Article 4 of the EU AI Act (Regulation 2024/1689) requires AI providers and deployers to ensure a sufficient level of AI literacy among their staff. UNI 11621-8 is the first technical standard worldwide that translates this requirement into twelve identifiable, verifiable profiles, each mapped onto the European e-Competence Framework already used across every EU member state.
For professionals working with European clients, whether based in London, New York, Dubai, Buenos Aires, Madrid or Mexico City, alignment with these profiles provides a common professional language and a recognised basis for cross-border recruitment and procurement.
AIPIA is the first Italian artificial-intelligence association to award European digital credentials for these profiles: European Digital Credentials (EDC) format from the European Commission, signed with an eIDAS electronic seal. The credential is verifiable through the European digital wallet and recognised across the EU.
The regulatory framework
At European level the reference is Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (AI Act), in force since 1 August 2024 with progressive application until 2 August 2027. At Italian level, Law 132/2025 transposes the AI Act and explicitly promotes AI literacy, training and competence-certification pathways.
UNI 11621-8 was published on 30 April 2026 by the UNI/CT 526 commission of UNINFO, in coordination with the Department for Digital Transformation of the Italian Prime Minister's Office.
Strategic governance profiles
Chief AI Officer
The apex role that defines the organisation's AI strategy, coordinates the project portfolio and guarantees compliance with the EU AI Act.
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AI Consultant
The specialist who guides companies and public administrations through AI adoption decisions.
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AI Product Manager
The owner of AI-based products and services across the entire lifecycle.
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Development and engineering profiles
AI Prompt Engineer
The specialist designing the instructions that govern interaction between humans and generative AI systems.
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AI Algorithm Engineer
The engineer who designs, implements and optimises the algorithms underlying AI systems.
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AI Deep Learning Engineer
The specialist building systems on deep neural networks and large foundation models.
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AI Machine Learning Engineer
The professional moving ML models from lab to production and managing their full lifecycle.
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AI Natural Language Processing Engineer
The specialist in automatic natural language processing, from language models to conversational systems.
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Data and security profiles
AI Data Engineer
The professional designing and operating the data infrastructure on which AI systems are built.
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AI Data Scientist
The analyst turning data into predictive models and business decisions through statistics and ML.
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AI Security Specialist
The specialist protecting AI systems from attacks and ensuring integrity across the lifecycle.
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AI Research Scientist
The researcher working at the AI frontier, developing new techniques and contributing to the state of the art.
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Three paths to recognition under UNI 11621-8
1. Third-party certification (Accredia, ISO/IEC 17024)
Awarded by Accredia-accredited certification bodies, this route carries full legal weight and is recognised across Europe through EA multilateral agreements. As of today no Italian body is yet accredited for UNI 11621-8: the accreditation process is in progress.
2. European Digital Credential (EDC) with eIDAS seal
AIPIA awards European Digital Credentials in the European Commission's official format. EDC credentials with eIDAS seal are recognised across the EU, cryptographically verifiable and accessible through the European digital wallet. Available now, and particularly useful for cross-border recognition of competence.
3. Professional quality attestation (Italian Law 4/2013)
For AIPIA members meeting association standards, a professional quality attestation is granted under Article 7 of Law 4/2013 on non-regulated professions. It documents association membership, quality standards and associated guarantees.
Position yourself in the European AI landscape
Become an AIPIA member and access European Digital Credentials aligned with UNI 11621-8, recognised across the EU.