AI-900 certification: retired exam, AI-901 replacement and what changed
The AI-900 exam was retired on 30 June 2026 and can no longer be taken. Microsoft replaced it with AI-901, which now earns the same certification, Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals. Like AI-900, it is a fundamentals exam scored from 1 to 1,000 with 700 to pass, and the certification does not expire.
- AI-900 status
- Retired on 30 June 2026 — can no longer be takenMicrosoft Learn, exam retirement list and AI-900 exam page, checked 8 October 2026
- Replacement exam
- AI-901: Microsoft Azure AI FundamentalsMicrosoft Learn, AI-900 exam page and certification page, checked 8 October 2026
- Certification earned
- Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals (now via AI-901)Microsoft Learn certification page, checked 8 October 2026
- Passing score
- 700 on a scale of 1 to 1,000Microsoft Learn, exam scoring and score reports, checked 8 October 2026
- Exam time
- 45 minutes for Microsoft fundamentals exams (65 minutes seat time)Microsoft Learn, exam duration and exam experience; the AI-901 page itself states no minutes, checked 8 October 2026
- AI-901 skills measured
- AI concepts and capabilities 40–45% · AI solutions with Microsoft Foundry 55–60%Microsoft AI-901 study guide, checked 8 October 2026
- Price
- Not stated in USD — “price based on the country or region in which the exam is proctored”Microsoft Learn certification page, checked 8 October 2026
- Number of questions
- Not published by Microsoft for this examMicrosoft says most of its exams contain 40–60 questions; exam duration page, checked 8 October 2026
- Validity
- Does not expire — fundamentals certifications need no renewalMicrosoft Learn renewal FAQ, checked 8 October 2026
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Why you can trust these AI-900 questions
Is the AI-900 certification retired?
The exam is; the certification is not. Microsoft’s AI-900 exam page states that the AI-900 exam was retired on 30 June 2026 and has been replaced by AI-901, and that candidates must now pass AI-901 to earn the certification. Microsoft’s retirement list carries the same date and adds that retired exams can no longer be taken.
The certification itself — Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals — continues. Its certification page now names AI-901 as the required exam, and notes that the English version of the certification was updated on 15 April 2026.
If you already passed AI-900, nothing is taken away. Microsoft states that an earned certification stays on the transcript in your Microsoft Learn profile, and fundamentals certifications do not expire.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Exam and assessment lab retirement. Checked 8 October 2026.
What is the AI-900 certification?
AI-900 was the exam behind Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals, Microsoft’s beginner-level certification for artificial intelligence on Azure. Microsoft wrote it for candidates with technical and non-technical backgrounds and stated that data science and software engineering experience were not required.
Microsoft positions the certification as preparation for its role-based AI certifications, not as a gate in front of them: the AI-900 page said it is not a prerequisite for any of them. That is still how the certification sits in the path today, only with AI-901 as the exam.
Searches for “AI-900 certification” therefore now lead to one certification with a new exam code. This page explains the old exam and the switch; the current exam is AI-901.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Exam AI-900. Checked 8 October 2026.
What is on the AI-900 exam, and what changed with AI-901?
The content changed, not just the number. AI-900 measured five “describe” skill areas — AI workloads, machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing and generative AI. AI-901 measures two: identifying AI concepts and capabilities (40–45%) and implementing AI solutions by using Microsoft Foundry (55–60%).
The expected background changed with it. The AI-900 page said data science and software engineering experience were not required. The certification page for AI-901 says you need knowledge of Python coding syntax and programming techniques and should be familiar with Azure resources.
So AI-900 notes are a partial fit at best. More than half of AI-901 is hands-on Microsoft Foundry work, which the old five-area outline did not have as its own skill area.
- AI-900 (retired): Describe Artificial Intelligence workloads and considerations — 15–20%
- AI-900 (retired): Describe fundamental principles of machine learning on Azure — 15–20%
- AI-900 (retired): Describe features of computer vision workloads on Azure — 15–20%
- AI-900 (retired): Describe features of Natural Language Processing (NLP) workloads on Azure — 15–20%
- AI-900 (retired): Describe features of generative AI workloads on Azure — 20–25%
- AI-901 (current): Identify AI concepts and capabilities — 40–45%
- AI-901 (current): Implement AI solutions by using Microsoft Foundry — 55–60%
Source: Microsoft Learn — Study guide for Exam AI-901. Checked 8 October 2026.
How much does the AI-900 certification cost?
AI-900 can no longer be booked, so it has no price any more. For AI-901, Microsoft does not put a USD figure on the certification page as checked today; it states that the price is based on the country or region in which the exam is proctored, and adds that pricing excludes taxes and promotional offers.
A failed attempt is paid again if a fee applies: Microsoft’s retake policy says you must pay to retake the exam (if applicable). The first retake is possible after 24 hours, later ones after 14 days, with at most five attempts in 12 months.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Azure AI Fundamentals certification. Checked 8 October 2026.
What is the AI-900 exam format?
Microsoft’s exam-duration page gives fundamentals exams 45 minutes of exam time and 65 minutes of seat time. The AI-901 page itself states no minutes, so the general fundamentals rule is the figure Microsoft publishes.
Microsoft does not publish a question count for AI-900 or AI-901. Its general statement is that most of its exams typically contain 40 to 60 questions, and that the number can vary by exam. Question types are not announced in advance; Microsoft offers an exam sandbox that shows the interface and item types such as multiple choice, drag and drop, hot area and build list.
You can usually choose between an online proctored exam and a local test centre. Unlike associate and expert exams, fundamentals exams do not give you access to Microsoft Learn during the exam.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Exam duration and exam experience. Checked 8 October 2026.
AI-900 passing score
The AI-900 exam page stated a passing score of 700, and the AI-901 study guide states the same: a score of 700 or greater is required to pass. Microsoft reports technical exam scores on a scale of 1 to 1,000.
This is a scaled score. Microsoft states explicitly that it may not equal 70% of the points, because the cut is set against the difficulty of the questions you receive. A practice percentage therefore does not convert into a Microsoft score.
Two scoring details help in the exam: there is no penalty for guessing, and multi-part questions usually award one point per correct component. Leave nothing blank.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Exam scoring and score reports. Checked 8 October 2026.
AI-900 prerequisites
There was no formal prerequisite for AI-900, and there is none for AI-901: Microsoft lists no required certification. The AI-900 page asked only for awareness of basic cloud concepts and client-server applications.
The informal bar rose with AI-901. Microsoft now expects conceptual knowledge of AI solutions in Azure, the foundational technical skills to work with them, Python coding syntax and familiarity with Azure resources. Plan for that if you were expecting the old, non-technical exam.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Azure AI Fundamentals certification. Checked 8 October 2026.
How long is AI-900 valid?
Indefinitely. Microsoft’s renewal FAQ states that renewal does not apply to fundamentals certifications because they do not expire. An Azure AI Fundamentals certification earned through AI-900 stays valid and stays on your transcript after the exam’s retirement.
This is different from Microsoft’s associate, expert and specialty certifications, which expire after one year unless renewed through a free online assessment.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Renew your Microsoft Certification FAQ. Checked 8 October 2026.
AI-900 study materials and training
Microsoft’s study guide for AI-901 is the document that defines what is in scope now; it lists the skills measured as of 15 April 2026. Material written for AI-900 predates that outline.
Microsoft also points to a practice assessment for Azure AI Fundamentals on its AI Skills Navigator site and to the exam sandbox. Neither replaces the study guide as the scope reference.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Study guide for Exam AI-901. Checked 8 October 2026.
AI-900 practice questions
Certsqill’s AI-900 practice questions carry an explanation for every option, weighted the way Microsoft weights the exam. Since the exam you can book is AI-901, its outline — not the retired five-area AI-900 outline — is the one that decides what is worth practising.
AI-900 questions people ask
Is AI-900 still available?
No. Microsoft retired the AI-900 exam on 30 June 2026 and replaced it with AI-901. Source: Microsoft Learn, checked 8 October 2026.
Is Azure AI Fundamentals discontinued?
No. The certification continues; it is now earned by passing AI-901. Source: Microsoft Learn certification page, checked 8 October 2026.
Is my AI-900 certification still valid?
Yes. Earned certifications stay on your Microsoft Learn transcript, and fundamentals certifications do not expire. Source: Microsoft Learn, checked 8 October 2026.
What is the AI-900 passing score?
700 on a scale of 1 to 1,000, a scaled score rather than a percentage. AI-901 uses the same 700. Source: Microsoft Learn, checked 8 October 2026.
How long is the exam?
Microsoft gives fundamentals exams 45 minutes (65 minutes seat time). It publishes no question count for AI-900 or AI-901. Source: Microsoft Learn, checked 8 October 2026.
How much does AI-901 cost?
Microsoft states no USD figure on the certification page; the price depends on the country or region where the exam is proctored, checked 8 October 2026.
Do I need coding skills for AI-901?
Microsoft expects knowledge of Python coding syntax and familiarity with Azure resources — unlike AI-900, which required no software engineering experience. Source: Microsoft Learn, checked 8 October 2026.
Can I still study with AI-900 material?
Only partly. AI-901 gives 55–60% to implementing AI solutions with Microsoft Foundry, which the AI-900 outline did not cover as a skill area. Source: Microsoft AI-901 study guide, checked 8 October 2026.
What is AI-900 certification today?
The name people search for — Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-900) — joins a certification and an exam that have now been separated. The certification still exists. The AI-900 exam does not: Microsoft retired it on 30 June 2026, and the Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals AI-900 certification is now earned by passing AI-901 instead.
So when someone asks what is AI-900 certification, the accurate answer has two parts. If you passed the AI-900 exam, you hold Azure AI Fundamentals, and it stays valid because fundamentals certifications do not expire. If you are starting now, the same certification goes through a different exam with different content.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Exam AI-900. Checked 8 October 2026.
The AI-900 syllabus, and what replaced it
Microsoft still shows the AI-900 study guide on Microsoft Learn, marked with a notice that the exam was retired on 30 June 2026 at 11:59 PM Central Standard Time. Its last syllabus, “skills measured as of May 2, 2025”, broke the five skill areas down further: common AI workloads and responsible AI principles; machine learning techniques, core concepts and Azure Machine Learning capabilities; computer vision solution types and Azure tools; NLP scenarios and Azure tools; and generative AI solutions and the generative AI services in Azure.
The AI-901 syllabus has two skill areas instead: identifying AI concepts and capabilities (40–45%) and implementing AI solutions by using Microsoft Foundry (55–60%). The Microsoft Learn AI-900 certification pages you may have bookmarked therefore describe a scope that is no longer examined.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Study guide for Exam AI-900 (retired). Checked 9 October 2026.
Can you still schedule AI-900 exam appointments?
No. You cannot schedule the AI-900 exam any more; Microsoft’s retirement list states that retired exams can no longer be taken. The Microsoft AI-900 exam page now points to AI-901.
To earn the certification, you schedule AI-901 through Pearson VUE from its exam page. Microsoft strongly recommends registering with a personal Microsoft account rather than a work or school account, because exam records tied to an organisational account are lost if you leave the organisation and cannot be recovered. AI-901 is offered in English, Arabic (Saudi Arabia), Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian and Spanish.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Exam AI-901: Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals. Checked 9 October 2026.
AI-900 vouchers and pricing
Microsoft gives no USD figure for AI-901; the price depends on the country or region where the exam is proctored. Microsoft adds that the listed pricing does not reflect promotional offers or reduced pricing for Microsoft Certified Trainers and Microsoft Partner Network members, does not include taxes, and should be confirmed with the exam provider before you register.
If you hold an exam voucher that was meant for the Azure AI 900 exam, it cannot be used for an exam that can no longer be taken. Whether it applies to AI-901 depends on the terms of the voucher, so check with whoever issued it before booking.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Exam AI-901: Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals. Checked 9 October 2026.
AI-900 practice exams after the retirement
An AI-900 practice exam still teaches some useful vocabulary, but it prepares you for a test nobody can sit. The Microsoft AI-900 practice exam questions you find online were written for the five-area outline; AI-901 gives more than half its weight to implementing solutions with Microsoft Foundry, which that outline did not have as its own skill area.
Microsoft’s own tools have moved on with the exam. The AI-901 page links a practice assessment on AI Skills Navigator (you sign in to launch it) and an exam sandbox that demonstrates the exam experience. Use those as the reference for style and difficulty, whether you call it an Azure AI 900 practice test, a Microsoft AI-900 practice test or an AI-901 practice assessment.
Treat AI-900 sample questions and AI-900 exam questions from older sets as background reading. Practice that counts now follows the AI-901 study guide.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Exam AI-901: Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals. Checked 9 October 2026.
AI-900 dumps and exam questions and answers PDFs
AI-900 dumps, AI-900 exam dumps and Azure AI 900 dumps are, at best, recycled questions for a retired exam. They also break Microsoft’s rules: the Microsoft Certification exam candidate agreement lists seeking or obtaining unauthorised access to exam content as misconduct, and explicitly includes “using braindump material or unauthorized publication of exam questions with or without answers”. Microsoft may invalidate results and bar a candidate from taking exams, without refunding fees.
The same applies to files titled “AI-900 Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals exam questions and answers” or an “AI-900 exam questions and answers PDF”. You cannot check whether their answers are right, and they describe the old exam rather than AI-901.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Microsoft Certification exam candidate agreement. Checked 9 October 2026.
How the AI-901 test is scored
Like the AI-900 test before it, AI-901 needs 700 on Microsoft’s 1-to-1,000 scale. Microsoft stresses that this is a scaled score that may not equal 70% of the points, and that there is no penalty for guessing — so leave nothing blank.
That is also why a percentage from an AI-900 certificate practice set does not predict a Microsoft score. Use practice results to find the skill area you are weakest in, then go back to the study guide for that area.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Exam scoring and score reports. Checked 8 October 2026.
Is the AI-900 certificate worth it?
If you already hold the AI-900 certificate, it keeps its value as a credential: it stays on your Microsoft Learn transcript and does not expire. Whether the Microsoft AI-900 certification is worth it for your career is a judgement only you can make; Microsoft publishes no salary data for it, and neither does this page.
If you are deciding whether to sit AI-901 now, weigh the changed bar. The Microsoft AI-900 certification exam asked for no data science or software engineering experience; for AI-901 Microsoft expects knowledge of Python coding syntax and familiarity with Azure resources. Microsoft also says the certification is not a prerequisite for its role-based AI certifications, so it is a starting point, not a gate.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Exam AI-900. Checked 8 October 2026.
More AI-900 questions
Is the Microsoft AI Fundamentals AI-900 certification the same as Azure AI Fundamentals?
Yes. Microsoft’s official name is Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals. It was earned with the AI-900 exam until 30 June 2026 and is now earned with AI-901. Source: Microsoft Learn, checked 8 October 2026.
Can I still take the Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals AI-900 exam?
No. The exam was retired on 30 June 2026 and can no longer be taken; schedule AI-901 instead. Source: Microsoft Learn, checked 9 October 2026.
Is my Azure AI 900 certification still valid?
Yes. Fundamentals certifications do not expire, and earned certifications stay on your Microsoft Learn transcript. Source: Microsoft Learn, checked 8 October 2026.
Where is the Microsoft Azure AI 900 certification syllabus now?
The retired AI-900 study guide is still on Microsoft Learn, marked as retired. The current syllabus is the AI-901 study guide. Source: Microsoft Learn, checked 9 October 2026.
