Blog Post

The Skills Hub Blog
6 MIN READ

The AI job boom is here. Are you ready to showcase your skills?

Mark Winters's avatar
Mark Winters
Icon for Microsoft rankMicrosoft
Mar 03, 2026

Future-proof your skills: Microsoft’s new cloud, AI, and security Certifications.

AI isn’t just changing jobs descriptions, it’s redefining how work gets done across every industry, role, and skill level. From marketing to manufacturing, AI is reshaping workflows, speeding up deci...
New Microsoft Certification exam beta timeline
Updated Apr 07, 2026
Version 7.0
CERTIFICATION
Cloud AI
retirement
ZP's avatar
ZP
Copper Contributor
Apr 01, 2026

I’ve been preparing for the AZ-500 exam and was planning to book it for the end of April. However, I noticed it’s scheduled to retire in August 2026. Is it still worth taking the exam given the upcoming retirement?

LuigiZambetti's avatar
LuigiZambetti
Copper Contributor
Apr 05, 2026

Based on the latest Microsoft updates (March 2026), I would skip AZ-500 and wait for SC-500. AZ-500 retires on August 31, 2026, and your certification will not be automatically converted. SC-500 (Cloud and AI Security Engineer Associate) will be available in July 2026 (beta from May). 
It covers both cloud and AI security – a much better investment for your career.