# AI governance foundations for buyers

Learn what AI governance covers, how the EU AI Act, ISO/IEC 42001 and the NIST AI RMF differ, and how to read an AI governance tool listing.

- Level: Foundations
- Length: 50 minutes
- Exam questions: 9, pass mark 80%, up to 3 attempts
- Certificate: valid for 12 months

## What you will learn

- Tell AI governance from AI security, and name the four layers of AI governance tools.
- Say what kind of thing the EU AI Act, ISO/IEC 42001 and the NIST AI RMF each are, and how they fit together.
- Tell a provider from a deployer, name the EU AI Act risk tiers and give the main dates.
- Read the frameworks, deployment, pricing and certifications fields on a listing as vendor statements with a source.

## Lessons

1. [What AI governance covers](https://aigovernancetools.fyi/academy/ai-governance-foundations/what-ai-governance-covers.md) (12 minutes)
2. [Laws, standards and frameworks](https://aigovernancetools.fyi/academy/ai-governance-foundations/laws-standards-and-frameworks.md) (12 minutes)
3. [EU AI Act roles, risk tiers and dates](https://aigovernancetools.fyi/academy/ai-governance-foundations/eu-ai-act-roles-tiers-and-dates.md) (14 minutes)
4. [How to read an AI governance tool listing](https://aigovernancetools.fyi/academy/ai-governance-foundations/read-an-ai-governance-tool-listing.md) (12 minutes)

## Questions

### Is this course about how to comply with the EU AI Act?

No. It teaches the words and the structure you need to compare AI governance software and to ask vendors good questions. How a law applies to you is a question for your counsel.

### Which dates does the course use for the EU AI Act?

The dates as amended by Regulation (EU) 2026/1744, the Digital Omnibus on AI. Annex III high-risk rules apply from 2 December 2027. Check the current text before you decide.

### Does the certificate show I can approve AI tools for my company?

No. It is a certificate of completion from this site and records that you passed the exam. It is not a licence, an accreditation or a compliance audit.

Also on the [web page](https://aigovernancetools.fyi/academy/ai-governance-foundations).