AI-900 has been replaced: what the AI-901 exam asks and how to prepare
AI-901 costs $99 in the US as of November 2026 and is now the only exam for Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals; AI-900 was retired on June 30, 2026. With Microsoft Learn's free training the cost stays at $99; a one-day class brings a first attempt to $694 to $794. 700 passes, and the certification does not expire. If you can already write simple Python, we estimate 2 to 4 weeks of part-time study, including hands-on time in Foundry.
Key facts
- The AI-900 exam was retired on June 30, 2026, and replaced by AI-901; candidates must now pass AI-901 to earn Azure AI Fundamentals. (Microsoft Learn, AI-900 exam page, checked November 5, 2026)
- AI-901 costs $99 where it is proctored in the US, and a score of 700 passes. (Microsoft Learn, AI-901 exam page, checked November 5, 2026)
- The English version of AI-901 was updated on April 15, 2026; its skills outline has two areas, AI concepts (40–45%) and building AI solutions in Microsoft Foundry (55–60%). (Microsoft Learn, AI-901 study guide, checked November 5, 2026)
- People who already hold Azure AI Fundamentals through AI-900 need to take no action, and the credential keeps its name. (Microsoft Tech Community, checked November 5, 2026)
What changed from AI-900 to AI-901
AI-900 was written for technical and non-technical candidates alike; Microsoft said data science and software engineering experience were not required. AI-901 keeps the certification name, Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals, but changes the audience: Microsoft now addresses someone “at the beginning of your career in AI solution development” who has “knowledge of Python coding syntax and programming techniques” and is familiar with Azure resources. The old exam weighted five description areas between 15% and 25% each. The new one gives 55–60% to implementing generative AI apps, agents, text, speech, vision and information-extraction solutions in Microsoft Foundry.
A good fit if
- You are a developer or student starting in AI and can read and edit basic Python
- Your organization builds on Azure and you will work with Microsoft Foundry models or agents
- You want a low-cost first Microsoft AI credential before an associate-level AI engineer exam
Think twice if
- You wanted the old no-code overview for a business role: AI-901 expects Python and hands-on Foundry work, and Microsoft no longer offers a no-code Azure AI fundamentals exam; one no-code option is AI Business Professional (AB-730), built on Microsoft 365 Copilot
- Your organization builds on AWS rather than Azure
- You already build production AI apps on Azure: Microsoft's associate-level exam for that work is AI-103, Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate, which replaced AI-102
Consider instead: AWS AI Practitioner if your organization uses AWS, or AZ-900 if you first need a grounding in Azure itself.
AI-901 requirements and exam format
There is no prerequisite exam and no required work experience. What Microsoft recommends is conceptual knowledge of AI solutions in Azure, Python syntax and familiarity with Azure resources; it also says candidates should know REST APIs, SDKs and CLIs, and that the exam can include commonly used Preview features. Microsoft's exam duration table gives Fundamentals exams 45 minutes. AI-901 is offered in 13 languages; localized versions are updated about eight weeks after the English one. Skills measured as of April 15, 2026:
| Area | Weight |
|---|---|
| AI concepts and capabilities: responsible AI, model choice and deployment, common workloads | 40–45% |
| Building AI solutions in Microsoft Foundry: apps and agents, text and speech, vision, information extraction | 55–60% |
Preparing for AI-901
Microsoft's instructor-led course is AI-901T00, Introduction to AI in Azure, listed as one day. Its two learning paths are free on Microsoft Learn: one on AI concepts for developers and technology professionals, one on getting started with AI applications and agents on Azure. Microsoft also offers a free Practice Assessment on AI Skills Navigator (sign-in required) and an exam sandbox. Because the larger area is hands-on, work the Foundry exercises yourself rather than only reading. AI-900 books and courses were built for the old five-area outline and lack the Foundry build work, so use them for concepts only. A one-day class suits people who want an instructor to walk through Foundry, or whose employer pays.
Costs for AI-901: free, practice tests or a one-day class
| Route | Provider and course | Published price | Exam fee | First attempt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free official training | Microsoft Learn, AI-901T00 learning paths, self-paced. Checked November 5, 2026. | $0 | + $99 exam | $99 |
| Practice exams | Tutorials Dojo, AI-901 practice exams, 60+ questions, list price (on sale for $9.09 when checked). Checked November 5, 2026. | $12.99 | + $99 exam | $111.99 |
| One-day class | ONLC Training Centers, AI-901 Introduction to AI in Azure; $655 when you register on or after the early date for the November 20 class; voucher not mentioned. Checked November 5, 2026. | $595 | + $99 exam | $694 |
| One-day class | New Horizons, AI-901T00 Introduction to AI in Azure, virtual instructor-led; lists a free course retake (see its conditions); voucher not mentioned. Checked November 5, 2026. | $695 | + $99 exam | $794 |
Costs people miss: each retake costs the full $99; you wait 24 hours before a second attempt, and Microsoft allows five attempts in 12 months. Microsoft's Exam Replay bundles a voucher with one retake; its price did not show on the offer page we read. Foundry exercises run in an Azure subscription, so check Microsoft's pricing for any model you deploy and delete resources afterwards. There is no renewal fee.
Picking an AI-901 class
- AI-901, not AI-900. Ask that the course is AI-901T00 and was built after April 15, 2026; older AI-900 classes miss the Foundry work.
- Voucher. Neither ONLC's nor New Horizons' page mentions an exam voucher, so budget $99 on top.
- Retake of the class. New Horizons lists a free course retake, subject to its conditions; ask what they are.
- Where the labs run. Ask whether the class provides a Foundry lab environment or expects your own Azure subscription.
- Registration date. ONLC charges $595 before its early-registration date and $655 after it.
Is there anything to renew?
No. Microsoft says Fundamentals certifications do not expire, whether you earned Azure AI Fundamentals through AI-900 or AI-901. Microsoft's associate and expert certifications are the ones that need a yearly free renewal assessment.
AI-900 and AI-901 questions
- Can I still take AI-900?
- No. Microsoft retired AI-900 on June 30, 2026; AI-901 replaced it.
- I passed AI-900. Do I need AI-901?
- No. Microsoft says existing holders need to take no action, and Fundamentals certifications do not expire.
- How much is AI-901?
- $99 in the US as of November 2026.
- Do I need to code for AI-901?
- Microsoft expects knowledge of Python syntax and programming techniques, and the larger skill area is building AI solutions in Microsoft Foundry, including apps and agents.
Next step
If you are weighing AI-901 against another first AI credential, send a short request.
Ask for help choosing AI-901 (Azure AI Fundamentals) training
Sources
- Microsoft Learn: Exam AI-900 page (retirement notice, former audience and weights), checked November 5, 2026
- Microsoft Learn: Exam AI-901 page (price, passing score, update date, languages, AI-901T00), checked November 5, 2026
- Microsoft Learn: Azure AI Fundamentals certification (required exam AI-901), checked November 5, 2026
- Microsoft Learn: AI-901 study guide (skills and weights, audience), checked November 5, 2026
- Microsoft Learn: course AI-901T00, checked November 5, 2026
- Microsoft Tech Community: new Azure AI Fundamentals certification (AI-900 retirement, existing holders), checked November 5, 2026
- Microsoft Learn: certification renewal (Fundamentals do not expire), checked November 5, 2026
- Microsoft Learn: exam duration and experience, checked November 5, 2026
- Microsoft Learn: exam retake policy, checked November 5, 2026
- Microsoft Learn: Exam Replay offer, checked November 5, 2026
- Microsoft Tech Community: retirement table (AI-102 replaced by AI-103; AI-900 by AI-901), checked November 5, 2026
- Microsoft Learn: Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate (exam AI-103), checked November 5, 2026
- Microsoft Learn: AI Business Professional (exam AB-730), checked November 5, 2026
- Tutorials Dojo: AI-901 practice exams, checked November 5, 2026
- ONLC: AI-901 course, checked November 5, 2026
- New Horizons: AI-901T00 course, checked November 5, 2026
Prices are published list prices we recorded on the dates shown, not quotes. How we research.