Azure AI Fundamentals AI-901: what changed from AI-900

Last updated: 23 October 2026 · By the Asuraa Team

Quick answer: AI-901 replaced AI-900 for the Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals certification, according to Microsoft Learn: AI-900 retired on 30 June 2026. The new exam has two skill areas. AI concepts make up 40-45% and implementing AI solutions in Microsoft Foundry makes up 55-60%, so it now tests hands-on building with basic Python. Fundamentals certifications do not expire, so existing AI-900 holders keep their certification.

Key takeaways

• Microsoft Learn states that the AI-900 exam retired on 30 June 2026 and that AI-901 is now required for the Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals certification.
• The AI-901 skills outline, current as of 15 April 2026, weights AI concepts at 40-45% and implementing AI solutions with Microsoft Foundry at 55-60%.
• AI-900 measured five describe-level areas, with generative AI at 20-25%, while AI-901 expects Python syntax and familiarity with REST APIs and SDKs.
• Microsoft says Fundamentals certifications do not expire, so people who passed AI-900 keep the Azure AI Fundamentals certification.
• Microsoft's student discount page says academic exam pricing is not offered in India, and AI-901's price is set by country and shown when you schedule with Pearson VUE.

What changed from AI-900 to AI-901?

AI-901 replaced AI-900 as the only exam for the Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals certification. It moves the exam from describing AI to building small AI solutions in Microsoft Foundry. The AI-900 exam page states that AI-900 retired on 30 June 2026, and that candidates who want the certification must now pass AI-901.

The certification name is unchanged. What it tests has changed a lot. AI-900 had five "describe" areas: AI workloads, machine learning, computer vision, NLP and generative AI. According to the AI-901 study guide, AI-901 has two skill areas. Identifying AI concepts and capabilities makes up 40-45% of the exam, and implementing AI solutions using Microsoft Foundry makes up 55-60%. More than half the exam now asks you to deploy models, write prompts, build a chat client and create an agent.

How do AI-900 and AI-901 compare side by side?

The table below summarises the differences, using the Microsoft Learn pages as of October 2026.

Sources: the AI-900 study guide for the old skill weights, the AI-901 exam page for the passing score and languages, Microsoft's exam duration page for timing, and the certification renewal page, which says Fundamentals certifications do not expire.

What skills does AI-901 measure?

AI-901 measures whether you can explain AI concepts and then build simple apps with Microsoft Foundry. The study guide breaks it down as follows.

Identify AI concepts and capabilities (40-45%)

• The six responsible AI principles: fairness, reliability and safety, privacy and security, inclusiveness, transparency and accountability.
• How generative models work, how to choose a model, and how deployment options and configuration settings affect it.
• Common AI workloads: generative and agentic AI, text analysis (key phrases, entities, sentiment, summarisation), speech-to-text and text-to-speech, computer vision and image generation, and extracting information from documents, images, audio and video.

Implement AI solutions by using Microsoft Foundry (55-60%)

• Writing system and user prompts, deploying a model in the Foundry portal, and building a small chat client with the Foundry SDK.
• Creating and testing a single agent in the portal, then building a client app for it.
• Building small text analysis and speech apps, including responding to spoken prompts with a multimodal model.
• Reading images in prompts, generating images, and building a small vision app.
• Extracting information from forms, images, audio and video with Azure Content Understanding in Foundry Tools.

The Azure AI Fundamentals certification page adds that most questions cover generally available features. Preview features may appear if they are widely used. It also expects you to know basic Python and to be familiar with Azure resources.

Who should still take Azure AI Fundamentals in 2026?

Take AI-901 if you are an Indian fresher or early-career developer who can write basic Python and wants a Microsoft credential showing you can build small generative AI apps on Azure. It is less suited to complete non-coders, who were well served by AI-900's conceptual format.

If you are weighing it against Amazon's equivalent, our AWS AI Practitioner guide compares the formats. The AWS exam is mostly conceptual, while AI-901 now leans towards hands-on work. Our AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud careers guide helps with choosing a cloud.

How much does AI-901 cost in India, and are there discounts?

Microsoft does not publish one global price for AI-901. The exam page says the price depends on the country or region where the exam is proctored, is shown without taxes, and is confirmed when you schedule through Pearson VUE. To see the rupee price, sign in and start scheduling. The price appears before you pay.

Two points matter for Indian candidates:

• There is no student pricing in India. Microsoft's student discounts page says academic pricing is available in most countries, but not in India or China. Ignore guides that tell Indian students to verify for a student discount.
• Exam Replay is the only listed offer. Microsoft's offers page describes Exam Replay, bought through Pearson VUE. It bundles one exam with one retake, both to be used within 12 months.

Retakes are charged. Microsoft's retake policy requires a 24-hour wait before the first retake and 14 days before each later one, with a maximum of five attempts in 12 months.

How should you prepare for AI-901 in three weeks?

Three weeks is realistic if you already write basic Python. Most of the time should go on the Foundry labs, not on reading.

1. Days 1-3: Read the AI-901 study guide in full. Make a checklist of every skill bullet, then work through the Microsoft Learn modules for the AI-901T00 course.
2. Days 4-8: Using an Azure free or student account, deploy a model in Microsoft Foundry. Write system prompts, then build a small Python chat client with the Foundry SDK.
3. Days 9-12: Create a single agent in the portal and call it from a client app. Then build one text analysis app and one speech app.
4. Days 13-16: Try the vision tasks (image input and image generation) and Content Understanding extraction on an Indian document such as a sample invoice or a bank statement template.
5. Days 17-19: Revise the responsible AI principles and the workload definitions, which make up the 40-45% concepts area.
6. Days 20-21: Take the free Practice Assessment on AI Skills Navigator, which the exam page links to. Try the exam sandbox to get used to the interface, then book the exam.

Delete your Foundry deployments after each session so they don't run up charges.

What do most guides on AI-900 vs AI-901 get wrong?

Most guides treat AI-901 as AI-900 with an updated name and recommend the same two-day video cram. That no longer works. Microsoft's own weighting puts 55-60% of the exam on implementing solutions with Foundry, and the audience profile expects Python syntax and familiarity with REST APIs and SDKs. Preparing only from slides leaves most of the exam unprepared.

Two more corrections:

• "AI-900 holders must retake." Microsoft's renewal page says Fundamentals certifications do not expire. Holding AI-900 means you already hold Azure AI Fundamentals.
• "AI-102 is the next step." Microsoft Learn now shows the AI-102 certification as retired. Check the current Azure AI engineering certification on Microsoft Learn before planning your next exam.

Where does AI-901 fit in a fresher's career plan?

AI-901 works well as a first AI credential before you build bigger projects. Use the same Foundry skills to build one retrieval or agent project. Our guide to RAG and LLM skills for jobs explains what Indian recruiters look for. The AI engineer roadmap for India sets out what comes after a fundamentals certification.

If you are new to Azure itself, the AZ-900 guide covers the cloud basics that AI-901 assumes. For an overview of every certification route worth considering, start with our IT certifications guide for India.

Related guides

• IT Certifications in India: Which Are Worth It for Jobs (2026)
• AWS AI Practitioner (AIF-C01): is it worth it for Indian freshers?
• How much does an AWS certification exam cost in India?

FAQ

When did AI-900 retire?

Microsoft Learn states that the AI-900 exam retired on 30 June 2026 at 11:59 PM Central time. From that date, candidates who want the Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals certification must pass AI-901 instead. The certification keeps its name; only the exam that earns it changed.

Do I need to retake if I already passed AI-900?

No. Microsoft's certification renewal page says Fundamentals certifications do not expire, and AI-900 earned the same Azure AI Fundamentals certification that AI-901 now leads to. Instead of retaking, spend the time building a Microsoft Foundry project, such as a small agent or chat app, to show you are up to date.

Is AI-901 harder than AI-900?

For non-coders, yes. AI-900 was entirely conceptual. AI-901 puts 55-60% of its weight on implementing AI solutions with Microsoft Foundry, including deploying models, building chat and agent client apps, and extracting information with Content Understanding. Microsoft's audience profile expects Python syntax knowledge and familiarity with Azure resources.

How much does AI-901 cost in India?

Microsoft does not publish a single global fee. The AI-901 exam page says the price depends on the country where the exam is proctored and excludes taxes. Indian candidates see the rupee price when scheduling through Pearson VUE, before paying. Microsoft's student discounts page says academic pricing is not available in India.

How long is the AI-901 exam and what is the passing score?

Microsoft lists 45 minutes of exam time for Fundamentals exams, with 65 minutes of seat time for instructions and agreements. The AI-901 exam page lists a passing score of 700. Before booking, Microsoft offers a free Practice Assessment on AI Skills Navigator and an exam sandbox to try the interface.

Should Indian freshers choose AI-901 or AWS AI Practitioner?

Choose based on the cloud named in the jobs you want. AI-901 now tests hands-on building in Microsoft Foundry and suits candidates who can write basic Python. AWS AI Practitioner is conceptual and lists coding as out of scope. Many service companies use both clouds, so local job postings are the best guide.

Final thoughts

AI-901 is no longer a theory-only badge: more than half of it tests whether you can build small AI apps in Microsoft Foundry. That makes it harder than AI-900 was, and more useful as proof of skill. If you already hold AI-900, keep it and build projects. If you don't, learn basic Python first and then take AI-901. Not sure whether an AI or a cloud track suits you better? Map it out with the Asuraa career path planner.