Short answer
- AI-900 exam: retired on June 30, 2026. The certification it led to, Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals, still exists. You now earn it by passing AI-901 (Microsoft Learn).
- AI-901 is a different exam. AI-900 required no software experience. AI-901 expects knowledge of Python syntax, and more than half of it is about building AI solutions in Microsoft Foundry (Microsoft Learn).
- AI-102 and the Azure AI Engineer Associate certification: retired on June 30, 2026, together with its renewal assessment. The new associate-level certification is Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate, earned with AI-103.
- Already certified? AI-900 holders keep Azure AI Fundamentals, because fundamentals certifications don’t expire. AI-102 holders keep their certification until its expiration date, but can no longer renew it.
In June 2026 Microsoft replaced both of its Azure AI exams. Study material published before that may still describe AI-900 and AI-102 as current. This guide explains what changed, what the new exams expect from you, what they cost, and what happens to a certification you already earned. Every statement links to Microsoft Learn. We checked the pages on September 22, 2026.
What changed on June 30, 2026
| Before | Now | |
|---|---|---|
| Fundamentals exam | AI-900 | AI-901 |
| Fundamentals certification | Azure AI Fundamentals | Azure AI Fundamentals (same name) |
| Associate exam | AI-102 | AI-103 |
| Associate certification | Azure AI Engineer Associate (retired) | Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate |
Sources: AI-900 exam page, Azure AI Engineer Associate, Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate, Microsoft credential retirement list.
The AI-900 page now carries this notice: “The AI-900 exam was retired on June 30, 2026, and has been replaced by AI-901. To earn this certification, candidates must now pass AI-901.” The Azure AI Engineer Associate page says: “This certification and the renewal assessment are retired.”
AI-900 vs. AI-901: not the same exam with a new number
This is the part that matters if you’re not a developer.
AI-900 was written for “both technical and non-technical backgrounds.” Microsoft’s page states that “data science and software engineering experience are not required.” It tested whether you could describe AI workloads, machine learning principles, computer vision, natural language processing and generative AI, each at 15 to 25% of the exam (AI-900 page).
AI-901 is aimed at people “at the beginning of [their] career in AI solution development.” Microsoft says you “need knowledge of Python coding syntax and programming techniques” and should be familiar with Azure resources. The exam has two parts (AI-901 page):
| Skill area | Share of the exam |
|---|---|
| Identify AI concepts and capabilities | 40–45% |
| Implement AI solutions by using Microsoft Foundry | 55–60% |
Put simply, AI-900 was a concepts exam open to non-technical candidates. AI-901 tests whether you can build with Azure AI. If you were planning to take AI-900 as a non-technical credential, check whether AI-901 still fits before you book. Both exams have a passing score of 700.
What the new exams cost
| Exam | Leads to | US price | Expires? |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI-901 | Azure AI Fundamentals | $99 | No, fundamentals certifications don’t expire |
| AI-103 | Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate | $165 | Associate certifications are valid for one year and renew for free online |
Microsoft shows the price after you select a country on the exam page; the figures above are the US prices (AI-901, AI-103). Microsoft notes that prices exclude taxes and promotions and can change without notice. Renewal rules come from Microsoft’s renewal FAQ: fundamentals certifications don’t expire, and associate certifications that have been available for more than six months get a free online renewal assessment. Under that rule, AI-103 becomes renewable once it has been available for six months.
AI-103 gives you 120 minutes, 20 more than AI-102 did. Microsoft expects “experience developing apps by using Python,” and the exam covers planning and managing an Azure AI solution, generative AI and agentic solutions, computer vision, text analysis and information extraction (AI-103). If you fail, you can retake it after 24 hours; later retakes have longer waiting periods (retake policy).
For three-year costs of these and other certifications, see the Certification Cost Index.
What happens to the certification you already hold
If you passed AI-900: you hold Azure AI Fundamentals, and that certification wasn’t retired; only the exam was. Fundamentals certifications don’t expire (renewal FAQ). Nothing to do.
If you hold Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102): Microsoft’s retirement policy says a certification earned or renewed before retirement “will remain on your transcript in the Active Certifications section until it expires,” then moves to Historical Certifications (credential retirement). Because the renewal assessment was retired too, you can’t extend it. To stay current, the path Microsoft offers is AI-103.
If you were halfway through studying for AI-102: that exam can’t be taken anymore. Most of the skill areas carry over to AI-103 (solution planning, generative AI and agents, computer vision, text analysis and information extraction), so your study time isn’t lost. Check the AI-103 study guide for what changed in detail.
Microsoft retired more than the AI exams in 2026
Microsoft lists every certification it retired in the last twelve months. The 2026 entries so far (credential retirement, updated August 31, 2026):
| Certification | Retired |
|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 Certified: Fundamentals | March 31, 2026 |
| Azure Data Scientist Associate | June 1, 2026 |
| Azure AI Engineer Associate | June 30, 2026 |
| Power Platform Solution Architect Expert | June 30, 2026 |
| Power Automate RPA Developer Associate | June 30, 2026 |
| Dynamics 365: Finance and Operations Apps Solution Architect Expert | June 30, 2026 |
| Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management Functional Consultant Expert | June 30, 2026 |
| Dynamics 365 Field Service Functional Consultant Associate | June 30, 2026 |
| Azure Developer Associate | July 31, 2026 |
| Dynamics 365 Customer Experience Analyst Associate | July 31, 2026 |
| Azure Security Engineer Associate | August 31, 2026 |
| Power Platform Functional Consultant Associate | August 31, 2026 |
The next one on Microsoft’s list is Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert, on November 30, 2026.
The same rules apply to all of them: if you earned or renewed the certification before its retirement date, it stays active until it expires, and it can no longer be renewed.
How to avoid studying for a retired exam
- Check the exam page, not the course page. Microsoft puts a warning box at the top of retired exam pages. Course platforms and videos update more slowly.
- Look at the “Retirement date” line in the exam’s scheduling section on Microsoft Learn. AI-901 and AI-103 currently show “none.”
- Check the certification list above once before you start. Microsoft lists retirements scheduled for the next twelve months.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still take AI-900?
No. It was retired on June 30, 2026. To earn Azure AI Fundamentals you now take AI-901.
Is my AI-900 certification still valid?
Yes. You hold Azure AI Fundamentals, which wasn’t retired, and fundamentals certifications don’t expire.
What replaced AI-102?
AI-103, which leads to Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate. The Azure AI Engineer Associate certification itself was retired on June 30, 2026.
Is AI-901 harder than AI-900?
It’s more technical. AI-900 required no software experience; AI-901 expects Python knowledge and puts 55 to 60% of the exam on implementing solutions in Microsoft Foundry.
How much does AI-901 cost?
$99 in the US, before taxes. Prices vary by country.
How we checked this. Every statement comes from Microsoft Learn pages, linked where they appear, checked on September 22, 2026. Microsoft updates exams and prices without much notice; confirm on the exam page before you book. Certificate Quest is not affiliated with Microsoft and earns nothing from links on this page.