Exciton recombination bands in homoepitaxial AIN layers are strongly dependent on the presence of hydrogen. By thermal treatment under hydrogen-free and hydrogen-rich ambient, respectively, several sharp bound exciton lines are modulated in intensity reversibly. In contrast, the exciton bound at the neutral donor silicon remains unaffected. The mechanism causing these effects is most probably hydrogen in-and out-diffusion into the AIN sample. The main factor determining hydrogenation of AIN layers is found to be molecular H-2 in contrast to NH3. We find hints that carbon incorporation into AIN may be closely related with that of hydrogen. Besides photoluminescence spectra of exciton bands, our model is supported by theoretical reports and comparison to the case of hydrogen in GaN.