Exam Details
Microsoft · AI-901
Master Microsoft Foundry, generative AI agents, and basic Python to launch your AI development career on Azure.
Practice with ExamOS for Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals. Learn daily with scenario-based questions, timed quizzes, detailed explanations, and exam-style difficulty.
Try a sample quiz for free : 10 questions, 10 mins.
Who is this for?
Level: Beginner. This is the newly revamped entry-level certification for Azure AI solution development. While there are absolutely no formal prerequisites, Microsoft strongly recommends a basic understanding of cloud concepts and foundational programming. Unlike its predecessor, you should be comfortable reading simple Python code examples and navigating the Microsoft Foundry portal. Are you ready? You are fully prepared to pass if you can confidently explain generative AI concepts, apply Responsible AI principles, and understand how client applications consume AI models and services in a real-world environment. Dive into our updated, scenario-based practice sprints to validate your readiness for the new AI-901!
Overview
Welcome to the completely reimagined future of artificial intelligence on Microsoft Azure. The Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901) is not just a cosmetic update to the old AI-900; it is a total rebuild designed specifically for the 2026 tech landscape. As classical machine learning takes a backseat, this cutting-edge certification focuses heavily on what matters most to modern enterprises: Generative AI, autonomous agents, and multi-modal models. This credential validates your conceptual and practical understanding of how to build and deploy modern AI solutions using the powerful Microsoft Foundry portal. You will be rigorously tested on core AI concepts, Responsible AI principles, and—for the first time in a fundamentals exam—your ability to read and understand Python SDK code snippets that call AI models and services. Perfect for aspiring junior developers, students, and IT professionals transitioning into the AI space, the AI-901 proves you are ready to tackle real-world AI workloads. With global enterprises rushing to integrate AI agents into their operations, there is a massive talent gap for professionals who understand both the theory and the practical implementation of Azure AI. By securing the AI-901 certification, you demonstrate to employers that you aren't just familiar with AI buzzwords, but that you possess the practical, technical foundation required to integrate generative AI safely and effectively. Kickstart your cloud career, secure better starting salaries, and lay the ultimate groundwork for advanced role-based developer certifications.
FAQ
The AI-901 exam typically consists of 40–60 questions. As a Fundamentals-level exam, the duration is 60 minutes for the questions, with a total seat time of 85 minutes to allow for the NDA and tutorials. The format includes multiple-choice, matching, and "hot area" questions where you interact with screenshots of the Azure AI Foundry portal.
The passing score is a scaled score of 700 out of 1000. Microsoft uses a scaled system to ensure that the difficulty of different question sets is balanced fairly. ExamOS offers scenario-based practice quizzes that mirror the "Decision-Logic" of AI-901, helping you ensure your conceptual understanding is strong enough to hit this target.
The exam is divided into two primary functional groups, reflecting a "Theory vs. Practice" split:
The AI-900 focused on "What is AI?" using legacy tools like ML Studio. The AI-901 focuses on "How do I use GenAI?" using Azure AI Foundry. You will see far fewer questions about classical algorithms (like K-Means) and many more questions about tokens, grounding, temperature, and agentic orchestration.
No. Microsoft’s "Open Book" feature is currently only available for Associate, Expert, and Specialty level exams. Because the AI-901 is a Fundamentals exam, you are expected to know the concepts and portal navigation by memory. You will not have access to any external documentation during the test.
The registration fee is $99 USD in the United States. Pricing varies by region and local taxes. Note that if you are a student, you may be eligible for a free exam voucher by verifying your academic status through the "Microsoft Learn for Educators" program.
If you do not pass on your first attempt, you must wait 24 hours before rescheduling. For any subsequent attempts, a 14-day waiting period is required. You are allowed a maximum of five attempts within a 12-month period. Each attempt requires a new registration fee.
Unlike Associate and Expert certifications, Microsoft Fundamentals certifications do not expire. Once you pass the AI-901, the "Azure AI Fundamentals" badge is yours for life and does not require an annual renewal assessment. However, because AI technology moves so fast, it is highly recommended to move toward the AI-200 or AI-102 shortly after.
There are no formal prerequisites. This exam is intended for both technical and non-technical candidates. It is the perfect starting point for:
After mastering the fundamentals of Foundry and GenAI, the natural progression is: