Short answer
In 2026 Microsoft's AI certifications are AI-901 (fundamentals, replaced AI-900), AI-103 (AI apps and agents developer, the closest successor to AI-102), AI-200 (AI cloud developer), AI-300 (MLOps), and AI-500 (expert, multi-agent). AB-730 and AB-731 cover non-coders. Developers should start with AI-103; true beginners with AI-901.
Most pages ranking for "Microsoft AI certification" still describe AI-900 and AI-102 as current. Neither can be taken any more. This guide lists what exists today, who each credential is for, and what to study, with every status checked against Microsoft Learn on the date above.
What Microsoft AI certifications exist in 2026?
Seven AI-focused credentials are earnable today, split across three audiences: people who build AI, people who operate it, and people who use or lead with it.
| Exam | Credential earned | Level | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI-901 | Azure AI Fundamentals | Fundamentals | AI concepts plus building with Microsoft Foundry |
| AI-103 | Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate | Intermediate | Generative AI, agents, vision, text analysis, information extraction |
| AI-200 | Azure AI Cloud Developer Associate | Intermediate | Back-end AI services, vector databases, containers, SDKs |
| AI-300 | Machine Learning Operations Engineer Associate | Intermediate | MLOps and GenAIOps on Azure Machine Learning and Foundry |
| AI-500 | Multi-Agent AI Solutions Expert | Expert | Production multi-agent systems, MCP, Agent Framework |
| AB-730 | AI Business Professional | Beginner | Microsoft 365 Copilot and agents for daily work, no code |
| AB-731 | AI Transformation Leader | Beginner | Leading AI adoption with Copilot and Foundry, no code |
Related but separate: GH-600 (Developing in Agentic AI Systems) is a GitHub-maintained exam on operating AI agents inside software delivery workflows, and AB-730 is scheduled for an English-language update on October 20, 2026, so check its study guide before you book. For the wider catalog beyond AI, see the Microsoft certification roadmap.
Which Microsoft AI exams have retired?
- AI-900 (Azure AI Fundamentals) retired June 30, 2026 and was replaced by AI-901.
- AI-102 (Azure AI Engineer Associate) retired June 30, 2026, along with its renewal assessment. AI-103 is the current Associate certification for AI engineers and developers.
- DP-100 (Azure Data Scientist Associate) retired June 1, 2026. Microsoft Learn lists no one-to-one replacement.
Several AI-related Applied Skills assessments were retired in 2026 too, including "Create agentic workflows by using Microsoft Foundry" (July 17) and "Create agents in Microsoft Copilot Studio" (July 8), per Microsoft's credential retirement page. If an old study plan mentions any of these, drop it. Our AI-103 vs AI-200 explainer covers how the Associate exams were reshuffled.
Which Microsoft AI certification fits my role?
| If you are a... | Take | Why | Assumed background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business user or team lead | AB-730 | Covers Copilot, agents, prompts and everyday Microsoft 365 workflows without code | Outlook, Word, Teams, PowerPoint, Excel |
| Executive or change leader | AB-731 | Targets AI strategy, adoption and responsible-AI decisions | Experience leading adoption or change |
| Newcomer to AI who can code a little | AI-901 | Cheapest credible proof of AI literacy, with Foundry hands-on | Python syntax, Azure resources |
| Application developer | AI-103 | Generative AI and agent solutions on Foundry; the AI engineer credential | Python app development |
| Back-end or cloud developer | AI-200 | Emphasis on back-end services, scalability and the full development lifecycle | Azure SDKs, data services, vector databases, containers, Python |
| ML or AI engineer, MLOps | AI-300 | Infrastructure for training, deploying and monitoring ML and generative AI | Python, GitHub Actions, Bicep and Azure CLI |
| Architect of agent systems | AI-500 | Only expert-level AI credential; needs a prerequisite certification | Agentic systems in production, MCP, RAG, LangGraph |
| Security or admin owner of Copilot rollout | AB-730, plus your existing security or admin track | AB-730 lists Administrator among its roles; Microsoft has no separate AI-security exam in this lineup | Microsoft 365 basics |
Not sure whether the AI Business Professional credential is worth your time? Read Is AB-730 worth it?, or see how AI skills fit into Microsoft certification in 2026.
Building AI apps? Start with AI-103 practice
Scenario-based questions on Foundry agents, RAG, vision and information extraction. Free 40-question set, no card needed.
AI-900 vs AI-901: what changed?
AI-900 can no longer be scheduled; AI-901 now carries the Azure AI Fundamentals certification. The content shift is real, not just a renumber.
| AI-900 (retired) | AI-901 (current) | |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Five describe-style domains | Two areas: AI concepts and capabilities (40-45%), implementing AI solutions with Microsoft Foundry (55-60%) |
| Audience | Technical and non-technical, no coding needed | Early-career AI solution development; Python syntax and Azure resources expected |
| Status | Retired June 30, 2026 | Current; English version updated April 15, 2026; passing score 700 |
Details in the AI-901 vs AI-900 comparison. Deciding whether to bother? Read Is AI-901 worth it?. Ready to book? Follow how to pass AI-901 on the first try.
What is the Microsoft AI certification path?
There is no single required ladder. Microsoft Learn lists no prerequisite for the Associate exams, so the sensible routes are by role:
- Build AI apps: AI-901 (optional) → AI-103 → AI-500 for multi-agent architecture.
- Back-end AI engineering: AI-200, then AI-103 if you also want the Foundry agent track.
- Operate ML and GenAI: AI-300, built on Azure Machine Learning and Foundry operations.
- Use or lead AI at work: AB-730 for hands-on Copilot skills, AB-731 for strategy.
AI-500 is the exception to "no prerequisites": its credential page requires one prerequisite certification before the expert credential is awarded. Study material: AI-103 study guide, AI-200 study guide, AI-300 study guide and AI-500 study guide.
How do I prepare, free and paid?
Free
Paid
- • The exam itself: Associate and Expert exams typically US$165, by region
- • Optional: a large practice bank once the free sets stop surprising you, such as the AI-103 question bank
- • Cheat sheets for last-week review: AI-103
Microsoft states that AI-200 and AI-500 have no official practice assessment yet, so for those two, check the skills-measured list on Learn and practice with scenario questions.
Frequently asked questions
Which Microsoft AI certification should I get first?
It depends on your role. If you do not write code, take AB-730 (AI Business Professional) or AB-731 (AI Transformation Leader). If you are new to AI but technical, take AI-901 (Azure AI Fundamentals), which expects basic Python syntax and Azure familiarity. If you already build apps in Python, go straight to AI-103; Microsoft does not list fundamentals as a prerequisite for the Associate exams.
Is AI-900 still available?
No. Microsoft Learn states that the AI-900 exam retired on June 30, 2026 and was replaced by AI-901. The Azure AI Fundamentals certification now requires AI-901.
What is the difference between AI-900 and AI-901?
AI-900 was organized around five "describe" domains: AI workloads, machine learning, computer vision, NLP and generative AI. AI-901 has two weighted areas: identifying AI concepts and capabilities (40-45%) and implementing AI solutions by using Microsoft Foundry (55-60%), and Microsoft lists Python syntax knowledge as expected background. It is more hands-on and Foundry-centered.
Is AI-102 still valid?
No. Microsoft Learn marks AI-102 (Azure AI Engineer Associate) and its renewal assessment as retired. The current Associate certification for AI engineers and developers building AI apps and agents on Microsoft Foundry is AI-103 (Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate).
What is the highest-level Microsoft AI certification?
AI-500 (Designing and Implementing Multi-Agent AI Solutions) earns the Microsoft Certified: Multi-Agent AI Solutions Expert credential. Microsoft Learn lists one prerequisite certification, with Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate shown as the option, plus passing the AI-500 exam.
Is there a Microsoft AI certification for non-technical people?
Yes. AB-730 earns Microsoft Certified: AI Business Professional (beginner level, for business users and administrators working with Microsoft 365 Copilot and agents). AB-731 earns Microsoft Certified: AI Transformation Leader (beginner level, for business decision-makers). Neither requires coding.
How much does a Microsoft AI certification cost?
Microsoft states that Associate and Expert exams typically cost US$165, priced by country or region and subject to change, with taxes possible in some places. The exam page shows the exact price for your location when you schedule. Microsoft Learn study guides and training are free.
Is there a free way to prepare?
Yes. Microsoft Learn study guides and training modules are free, and AI Skills Navigator hosts free practice assessments for AI-901, AI-103 and AI-300. For AI-200 and AI-500 Microsoft states that no practice assessment is available yet, which is where third-party practice questions help.
How we verified this
Last verified October 2, 2026, against these Microsoft Learn pages. Exam details change, so confirm on the exam page before you book.
- Exam AI-900 page (retirement notice, replaced by AI-901)
- Exam AI-901 page and Azure AI Fundamentals certification
- Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102) (retired)
- Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate (AI-103)
- Azure AI Cloud Developer Associate (AI-200)
- Machine Learning Operations Engineer Associate (AI-300)
- Exam AI-500 page and Multi-Agent AI Solutions Expert
- AB-730 AI Business Professional and AB-731 AI Transformation Leader
- Exam and assessment lab retirement and Credential retirement (Applied Skills)
- Exam frequently asked questions (pricing)
- GH-600 study guide
MSCertQuiz is an independent practice-exam provider and is not affiliated with Microsoft. We do not quote salary figures because we cannot source them to Microsoft.
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