AIRS-J/1 · Guide

What do Levels 0 to 4 mean?

In an AIRS-J/1 Assessment, every observation is scored from 0 to 4.

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Eyebrow: AIRS-J/1 · Levels 0 to 4

In an AIRS-J/1 Assessment, every observation is scored from 0 to 4.

The short answer

Judgment is how well a person decides once AI has given the answer. AIRS-J/1 assesses it in nine dimensions, grouped in four domains: Structure, Test, Engage and Perform.

A level is given to one observation of what the person did. It is not a grade of the person.

The five levels

LevelThe Standard's labelPlain reading
0Not demonstratedThe act did not happen, or the person did the opposite.
1EmergingThe act happened in part, too late, or only after the instrument pointed to it.
2CompetentThe person did it without being asked, and it was enough for the situation.
3ProficientLevel 2, with effort matched to what is at stake, and the reasoning recorded or stated so another person could check it.
4ExemplaryLevel 3, and the person leaves a rule, condition, indicator or check that the next decision of the same kind can use.

The plain readings are written for this page. The Standard's wording governs: the published anchors for each dimension are at https://airapac.org/standard/v2-3/ (Sections 7, 7.5). Level 2 is the threshold level. On its own it certifies no one: the rules decide that.

Four rules about levels

A prompted response caps at Level 1. If the instrument points the person to the act, that observation is scored no higher than Level 1 (Section 7.1). An approved access support is not prompting (Section 7.1.1).

Level 4 is not seniority. Level 4 "requires only that the candidate articulate a rule that would carry forward" (Section 7.2). The rule need not be adopted, and Level 4 is open on every track, including Campus.

Only what is in the transcript counts. "An assessor may not score on inferred motivation, attitude, confidence or personality" (Section 7.3).

Levels are cumulative. Each level requires everything in the level below. A strong Level 4 act without the Level 2 base is scored at the highest level whose requirements are fully met (Section 7.4).

From observations to a result

A dimension score is the mean of its valid observations. A domain score is the mean of its dimension scores, and the composite is the mean of all nine dimension scores (Section 12.2.1).

Certification needs all six rules in Section 12.2. Failing any one results in Not Certified.

  1. No dimension below 2.0.
  2. Each domain at or above 2.0.
  3. A composite at or above 2.3.
  4. Enough evidence: at least three independent observations for each of the nine dimensions, from distinct decision points (Section 8.3).
  5. Stakes coverage: at least three distinct primary consequence families, at least one of them involving irreversible or non-financial harm (Section 6.4).
  6. Confidence at Moderate or High.

A certified result is reported as one of three bands, not as a raw composite: Certified, Certified with Merit or Certified with Distinction (Section 12.4).

What this does not claim

  • A level is not a percentage, a rank or a job title.
  • A level is not a dimension score, and a band is not a level.
  • A practice or training session gives a development reading: no level, no band, and nothing decided about a person's employment or certification (Section 20.3).
  • This page is not preparation for any certifying scenario.

AIR APAC publishes the standard for judgment in AI-enabled work, certifies people against it through its official instrument, and stands behind every result.

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