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New Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals Certification

LibertyMunson — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 17:41:24 GMT

As AI cloud solution adoption accelerates, demonstrate your readiness to build modern, responsible Azure AI solutions using Microsoft Foundry and Python with the new Exam AI‑901 (beta).

AI is no longer a distant, abstract idea. Organizations around the world are adopting it right now to streamline workflows and strengthen operational efficiency. As a result, the demand for AI solution developers is accelerating.

To support this shift, we’re evolving the Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals Certification. The updated Microsoft Certification validates your knowledge of AI concepts and capabilities and your ability to implement AI solutions by using Azure and Microsoft Foundry. After June 30, 2026, to earn this Certification, you’ll need to pass Exam AI-901: Azure AI Fundamentals, currently in beta.

The Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals Certification is designed for people who are beginning their journey in AI solution development, and it validates that you can apply responsible AI principles in real‑world scenarios. It also provides a strong foundation for pursuing more advanced role‑based Certifications in Azure AI and machine learning.

Is this the right Certification for you?

The Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals Certification focuses on the practical skills needed to build modern AI apps and agents by using Foundry. By preparing to earn the Certification, you build practical, job‑relevant skills. Exam AI-901 validates your ability to:

Describe AI concepts and capabilities, including principles of responsible AI, along with AI workloads, model components, and configurations.
Implement AI solutions with Foundry, including generative AI apps and agents, in addition to AI solutions for text and speech, computer vision and image-generation capabilities, and information extraction.

As a candidate for this Certification, you should have conceptual knowledge of AI solutions in Azure and the foundational technical skills to work with them. You also need knowledge of Python coding syntax and programming techniques, and you should be familiar with provisioning Azure resources.

With its expanded focus, Exam AI-901 replaces Exam AI-900, which is being retired on June 30, 2026. The new exam addresses:

Generative AI and agents, with updated coverage of the Foundry portal, tools, and models.
AI workloads, responsible AI principles, and solution patterns.
Simple approaches to implementing AI solutions using Foundry.

Area	Exam AI‑900 (old)	Exam AI‑901 (new)
Audience	Nontechnical or technical beginners	Technical beginners planning to build AI solutions
Skills tested	Understanding AI and machine learning concepts; identifying when to use Azure AI services	Understanding AI concepts; implementing AI solutions with Microsoft Foundry
Required coding knowledge	None	Basic Python syntax and programming concepts
Knowledge level	Introductory, conceptual understanding of Azure AI services (classic approach)	Foundational understanding of Azure resources, plus implementation with Foundry, provisioning Azure resources, and modern AI development tooling
Focus	What is AI?	How do I build an AI app by using Foundry?

NOTE: We’re not retiring the Azure AI Fundamentals Certification; we’re refreshing the requirements to earn it, with a new exam that better reflects modern AI solution development skills. If you already hold this Certification, no action is required; however, you may take the new Exam AI-901 if you would like to showcase your ability with a wider skill set. For more details on the retirement of Exam AI-900 and the latest cloud and AI Certification updates, read our recent blog post, The AI job boom is here. Are you ready to showcase your skills?

Ready to prove your Azure AI skills?

Take advantage of the discounted beta exam offer. The first 300 people who take Exam AI-901 (beta) on or before May 6, 2026, can get 80% off.

To receive the discount, when you register for the exam and are prompted for payment, use code AI901Medford. This is not a private access code. The seats are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. As noted, you must take the exam on or before May 6, 2026. Please note that this discount is not available in Turkey, Pakistan, India, or China.

How to prepare

Get ready to take Exam AI-901 (beta):

Review the Exam AI-901 (beta) exam page for details.
The Exam AI-901 study guide explores key topics covered in the exam.
Work through the self-paced Course AI-901: Introduction to AI in Azure.
Connect with Microsoft Training Services Partners in your area for in-person offerings.
Need other preparation ideas? Check out Just How Does One Prepare for Beta Exams?

Ready to get started?

You can take Certification exams online, from your home or office. Get the details in Online proctored exams: What to expect and how to prepare.

Remember, only the first 300 candidates can get 80% off Exam AI-901 (beta) with code AI901Medford on or before May 6, 2026.

Beta exam rescoring begins when the exam goes live, with final results released approximately 10 days later. For more details, read Creating high-quality exams: The path from beta to live.

Stay tuned for general availability of this Certification in June 2026.

Additional information

For more cloud and AI Certification updates, read our recent blog post, The AI job boom is here. Are you ready to showcase your skills?

Follow our credentials news on The Skills Hub blog as we roll out additional new Certifications in April, May, and June 2026.

Join our Microsoft Worldwide Learning SME Group for Credentials on LinkedIn for beta exam alerts and opportunities to help shape future Microsoft learning and assessments.

Explore Microsoft Credentials on AI Skills Navigator.

From Clicks to Conversations: AI and the Future of Computer Management

saeid-dahl — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:42:00 GMT

🔥 #AI is not just evolving IT, it’s redefining it. Are you part of the shift?
What if managing devices didn’t require endless scripts, manual policies, or reactive fixes?
What if you could simply state your intent, and intelligent systems handle the rest?
That future is already here, and we’re bringing it to you in a powerful, interactive AMA session with Christiaan Brinkhoff 🎤 from Microsoft.
In this session, we’ll explore how AI-driven, intent-based management is transforming the way we secure, configure, and optimize devices, making IT smarter, faster, and far more efficient.
💡 This is not just another webinar.
It’s an open conversation where your questions shape the discussion.

🚀 Why You Should Join
- Discover how AI and intelligent agents are changing endpoint management
- Learn how to reduce complexity with intent-based control
- Understand how natural language can simplify IT operations
- Gain insights to help you focus on strategy instead of routine tasks
- Get your questions answered directly in a live AMA format

🎯 Whether you're an IT professional, architect, or tech enthusiast, this session will challenge how you think about managing modern workplaces.

FabCon + SQLCon 2026 Recap: What’s New in Microsoft Fabric

MehrdadAbdollahi — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:49:24 GMT

📢 Upcoming Session at The Fabric Café

🗓 April 22nd at 6:00 PM PST (9:00 PM EST)
🎙 Speakers: Mehrdad Abdollahi & Alexander Turlov
📌 FabCon + SQLCon 2026 Recap: What’s New in Microsoft Fabric

FabCon + SQLCon 2026 brought a wave of exciting announcements across Microsoft Fabric, OneLake, databases, and AI — and in this session, we’ll break down the highlights that matter most for the community.

We’ll share our perspective on:
🔹 Key announcements and major themes from the event
🔹 How Fabric is evolving as a unified data & analytics platform
🔹 The growing role of AI, semantic context, and agentic experiences
🔹 What’s worth exploring next for data professionals

Whether you followed the event or just want a clear and practical recap, this session is for you.

Join us for an engaging community discussion on what’s next for Microsoft Fabric 🚀

#TheFabricCafe #MicrosoftFabric #PowerBI #DataCommunity #FABCONSQLCON26

hotmail email

victorsneto — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:44:09 GMT

I received a message in my Hotmail email saying that my Outlook account will be deactivated without verification. The email says my account will be suspended and contains the following message: You have up to 48 hours to accept the terms. After this period, your email account will be permanently deactivated. The sender information is: Informe - Microsoft <email address removed for privacy reasons>. Hotmail identified the message as spam. The attachments were blocked for my security. The email also contains the following message: Microsoft Account Team <email address removed for privacy reasons>. Is this email a scam? Will my account really be deactivated?

A new chapter for the Microsoft Student Ambassadors program, built for you

RWortmanMorris — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 17:35:34 GMT

Join the reimagined Student Ambassadors program to learn and lead. Experiment with AI, drive projects that solve real problems, and earn recognition for the impact you make.

For more than two decades, the Microsoft Student Ambassadors program has helped student-developers from around the world build practical technical and leadership skills—skills that have helped open doors for hundreds of thousands of students, sparked their confidence, and turned curiosity into careers.

Today, we’re announcing an exciting new chapter for the program, shaped by the evolving needs of students everywhere who are preparing for careers that demand not only technical fluency but also adaptable, broad-based skills. We’re reimagining Microsoft Student Ambassadors to welcome students from all disciplines, across higher-education campuses worldwide (restrictions apply).

The future of work—and the future of AI—won’t be shaped by one type of learner, one major, or one path. It will be shaped by people who are curious about AI, motivated to learn by doing, and ready to help others with their learning. That’s why we’re expanding the program beyond its developer roots, making it a place and opportunity for all students.

By joining the Student Ambassadors program, you can learn to lead with AI in creative and responsible ways, so you can think bigger, build faster, and bring bold ideas to life. You will have the opportunity to grow your skills faster by learning alongside a community that challenges and supports you at every step, where friendships spark creativity and mentorship builds confidence. Along the way, you can turn potential into proof, building a résumé that reflects your strengths and contributions and shows that you’re not just ready for what’s next—you’re already doing it.

There’s no application required to join. No gatekeeping. Just a shared commitment to building your skills and helping others to build theirs.

How to join the Student Ambassadors program

Go to Student Ambassadors, and select Get Started.
Take a few minutes to complete the sign-up steps (no application or interview.)
Participate in activities aligned to your interests and skills—from creating and sharing social content that helps to upskill others, to hosting events and contributing to the community.
Hit milestones to unlock benefits and build experience, whether you’re focused on your career path or a startup idea.

What it means to be a Student Ambassador

As a Student Ambassador, you have an array of benefits to support your development while you upskill and support others across your campus and online community.

After your onboarding to the program, you gain access to cutting-edge Microsoft technologies, including Microsoft 365 Copilot, Visual Studio Enterprise, and $150 in monthly Azure credits.

As you progress through the program and unlock milestones, you earn opportunities for leadership positions and deeper engagement with Microsoft. Through our new immersive, rotational work with Microsoft teams, you can contribute to real initiatives while gaining experience that builds practical skills, industry awareness, and results to showcase on your résumé and LinkedIn profile.

These short, focused engagements give Student Ambassadors direct exposure to the teams shaping Microsoft technologies. Through product updates, open discussions, and feedback opportunities, you can learn how we build, prioritize, and evolve products, and you can develop the professional skills required in today’s workplace.

As a result, Student Ambassadors learn to navigate professional environments, engage in meaningful conversations, and develop a clear point of view on emerging technologies and industry trends. With this foundation, you can be prepared to show up as a credible voice in both technical and nontechnical communities, while building confidence for future career opportunities.

What’s next

In the coming months, we’ll continue to write new chapters for the program, including the launch of Microsoft Campus Clubs and the Microsoft Student Ambassadors Alumni Network. These initiatives will open doors for even more people to participate in the Microsoft Student Ambassadors program and to connect with Microsoft communities.

The future needs people who are ready to get involved. Get started with Microsoft Student Ambassadors.

Global Azure ANZ 2026

lukemurraynz — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 23:05:46 GMT

Global Azure ANZ 2026

VIDEO STREAM LINK WILL BE ADDED HERE ON THE DAY OF THIS EVENT SO COME BACK HERE!

Join us for online sessions where we'll dive into Azure and explore topics like AI, security, identity, developer technologies, DevOps, and more.

This is also a fantastic opportunity to connect with MVPs and industry experts in the Azure space.

https://globalazure.net/events/8df745e6-59dd-4d5b-ad32-41c3c7cfb37b

Strengthen your research workflow with generative AI

DarcyOgden — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Stop guessing at prompts. Use research-ready templates that guide Microsoft Copilot toward clearer reasoning, better drafts, and transparent methods—so your work is faster, sharper, and credible.

Darcy Ogden, Ph. D., leads the academic researcher programs for Microsoft Global Skilling. A computational scientist and former professor of geophysics, Dr. Ogden has a passion for teaching and using new technology to accelerate research.

Guidance on using generative AI in research often lands at the extremes; it’s either overly optimistic or far too cautious. Most researchers, students, and professionals working with data or analysis know that the reality sits somewhere in between: all models are useful but fallible tools.

As researchers, we ask: What was this model designed to do? Where does it perform well? Where does it fall short? What assumptions are we making when we use this model?

Those same questions apply to generative AI. Understanding how these systems work and how they shape the outputs you receive can help you decide when to rely on them and when to adjust.

We’re all trying to figure out how best to work with generative AI, and there’s no simple, universal answer. But, in many cases, the work of research itself creates opportunities to apply generative AI thoughtfully and effectively.

Explore our new guide for researchers

As part of the latest Microsoft efforts to support graduate students, postdocs, and faculty aiming to use generative AI for research, we’re happy to share a new learning resource, The Academic Researcher's Guide to Generative AI. In this guide, we bring together recent insights and practical frameworks for considering generative AI as a research instrument. The guide’s purpose is to support researchers in asking well‑formed questions about the tools they use and in reflecting on the role that those tools play in research processes.

Bring generative AI into your research methodology

This new guide provides research-aligned approaches to prompting in Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, along with frameworks for prompt development, testing, and documentation. Further, it includes ready-to-adapt prompting use cases for research scenarios. The following brief examples reflect the kinds of tasks that these prompts support:

Research synthesis. Summarize the key arguments across these sources and note where the evidence conflicts.
Writing support. Rewrite this paragraph for clarity and precision while keeping the original meaning.
Data analysis. Explain the assumptions behind this statistical method and list situations where it may fail.

We’ve also included guidance on crafting quality prompts in Copilot, with techniques that can help reduce ambiguity and surface the reasoning behind responses. These approaches for prompting can deliver tailored, well-structured outputs suited for research purposes. The following examples highlight the types of instructions that researchers can use to make the most of Copilot prompts:

Surface assumptions. State assumptions and show reasoning before providing the final answer.
Limit sources. Use only the attached sources and flag any gaps or uncertainties in the evidence.
Structure responses. Follow this structure: Context → key points → limitations → questions to be considered next.

This guide treats the use of generative AI like other models or tools you use in your research. Like them, generative AI has no native understanding of fields of study, datasets, or research constraints. The guide introduces an approach to using generative AI as a visible, documentable part of academic research. It treats interactions with Copilot as part of your methodology: something to record, review, and refine as you move through your research.

Put the guide to work

As generative AI becomes more common across academic and professional environments, the question is no longer whether to use it but how to use it well. As the models grow more capable, the challenge is how to use them in ways that support learning, integrity, and transparency. We developed this guide to help researchers and students engage these tools in ways that strengthen, rather than diminish learning and scholarly judgment.

We invite you to read The Academic Researcher's Guide to Generative AI. Use it as a starting point, adapt the frameworks to your own discipline and workflow, and contribute feedback about the guide so that we can continue to evolve this resource alongside the field itself.

Microsoft Power Platform Fundamentals Blueprint Survey Opportunity

LibertyMunson — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 23:29:40 GMT

Greetings!

Microsoft is updating a credential for Microsoft Power Platform Fundamentals, and we need your input through our exam blueprinting survey.

The blueprint determines how many questions each skill in the exam will be assigned. Please complete the online survey by April 23, 2026. Please also feel free to forward the survey to any colleagues you consider subject matter experts for this certification. You may send this to people external to Microsoft as well.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact John Sowles at josowles@microsoft.com or Don Tanedo at dtanedo@microsoft.com.

Microsoft Power Platform Fundamentals blueprint survey link:

https://microsoftlearning.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0HhsR39KQNuU2PQ

What are you learning right now? Share + connect with our Skilling rooms

AmyCloud — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:25:07 GMT

We’re curious — what are you learning right now? Whether you’re diving into AI skilling, preparing for a certification, exploring a new Microsoft product area, or just experimenting with something that sparked your curiosity, we’d love to hear about it.

Share in the comments:

What are you learning or practicing right now
Any certifications you’re preparing for
Your latest “aha” moment
A skill you want to build next

If you have questions along the way — big or small — our Skilling rooms are here to help. Each room is led by a Learn expert who specializes in a specific Microsoft technology area. They’re ready to support your journey, answer questions, and point you toward helpful resources.

Explore the Skilling Rooms:

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/category/skills-hub?tab=grouphub

Whether you’re just getting started or leveling up, your learning journey matters — and we’d love to learn alongside you.

Lenovo scales AI adoption worldwide with Copilot Chat training

ToddMinor — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Discover how Lenovo helped 30,000 employees build practical AI skills with scenario‑driven training to streamline daily tasks, strengthen communication, and achieve meaningful, measurable outcomes.

Listed by Forbes as the world’s largest PC company, Lenovo is taking AI out of the abstract and delivering its power to people around the world through a full-stack portfolio of AI-enabled devices, infrastructure, and software. Lenovo’s vision of delivering smarter technology for all includes its own employees and processes. This goal informed its decision to deploy and adopt Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat and Microsoft Copilot Studio across the entire company.

Empowering innovation and efficiency

Lenovo aimed to establish enterprise leadership in AI, using it to enhance productivity and accelerate business processes across key functions, including research and development (R&D), marketing, and human resources (HR). The company did this by deploying Copilot Chat to its global workforce of over 75,000 employees. The initial onboarding target was more manageable but still ambitious: 30,000 employees in China—about 40% of its workforce.

The primary challenge was not just the scale of deployment but also the need to ensure adoption. It was vital that employees could move beyond basic usage to effectively integrate these advanced AI tools into their specific, daily work scenarios to drive tangible business value. Lenovo recognized that success hinged on helping employees build confidence, understand real-world applications, and adopt an AI‑first mindset.

Copilot Chat has fundamentally changed how we manage our daily workflow. What used to take hours now happens in minutes. It not only saves us time but also enhances the quality of our communication and strategic thinking.

—Dan Zhao, Operations Management Professional, Lenovo China

Laying the groundwork

To achieve such massive upskilling at scale, Lenovo worked with Digital China Cloud Technology Limited, a leading digital transformation partner whose many services include helping enterprise-level clients establish future-oriented core capabilities.

Together they created a training strategy to help employees move from casual interaction with AI tools to meaningful, scenario‑driven usage. The two-phased training combined targeted learning pathways, interactive workshops, and department-specific problem-solving. By embedding training into employees’ existing digital workflows, Lenovo helped to ensure minimal friction and maximum relevance.

Phase one: Foundation building

The first phase focused on delivering broad-based AI literacy across the targeted workforce so that every employee, regardless of technical background, could start implementing AI tools to streamline their work. Lenovo introduced an “Introduction to Prompt Engineering” course designed to teach employees how to interact effectively with AI systems. This core training provided:

Essential AI concepts.
Practical prompting skills.
Confidence-building exercises.
Foundational habits for high‑quality AI interaction.

Phase two: Role‑based integration

The second phase moved beyond generic training to deep, scenario-specific workshops for key departments. It focused on using Copilot Chat for complex querying and analysis and on working with Copilot Studio, a platform for designing and building custom agents to automate and execute specific business processes.

“The key innovation,” Digital China Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) Yan Yan explains, “was our scenario-first and agent-centric learning methodology. Instead of teaching features, we focused on real-world business problems.”

This mapped training directly to real needs rather than abstract hypothetical use cases.

Phase two included:

Customized agent development workshops tailored to unique departmental challenges, like automating HR inquiries and generating marketing content.
Workflow‑embedded scenario training, designed around actual daily tasks, like meeting summaries, data analysis, strategic document drafting, and more.

Measurable business impact

Lenovo achieved significant results from its program, including:

Accelerated core business processes. Teams across R&D, marketing, and HR saw faster project cycles—from accelerated code development and quicker market analysis to more streamlined employee onboarding.
Higher productivity and efficiency. Employees showed major gains in handling complex tasks, such as data synthesis and content creation, reducing time spent on routine work.
A more engaged workforce. The program boosted employee confidence and helped cultivate a culture of innovation and AI-first thinking.
Transformational impact on customer-facing teams. Sales teams experienced dramatic improvements in communication quality, speed, and strategic preparation, reducing timelines from hours to minutes.

Realizing significant gains with a practical approach

Lenovo’s AI adoption journey demonstrates what’s possible when an organization pairs visionary goals with a practical, scenario‑driven implementation strategy. By empowering employees with foundational skills and then guiding them through real‑world applications, Lenovo achieved widespread adoption, substantial efficiency gains, and a more empowered global workforce.

This project not only accelerated Lenovo’s internal transformation but also positioned the company as a leader in enterprise‑wide AI enablement.

Explore AI skilling opportunities for all your teams—technical and non-technical alike—on Microsoft Learn for Organizations. For more inspiration, read AI and human potential: Advancing skills, innovation, and outcomes.

Microsoft Applied Skills: Upcoming retirements

PujaA — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 23:26:30 GMT

As part of our ongoing efforts to ensure our credentials portfolio remains current and aligned with the latest product updates and trends. We will be retiring the following Microsoft Applied Skills credentials:

Microsoft Applied Skills: Develop generative AI apps with Azure OpenAI and Semantic Kernel: retiring on April 15

Microsoft Applied Skills: Extend Microsoft 365 Copilot with declarative agents by using Visual Studio Code: retiring on April 15

Microsoft Applied Skills: Build a natural language processing solution with Azure AI Language: retiring on June 30

Microsoft Applied Skills: Create and manage model-driven apps with Power Apps and Dataverse: retiring on June 30

Explore other Applied Skills at AI Skills Navigator | Credentials to keep building your skills.

Why I’m telling my team to stop asking permission and start building

Alfredo_Ramirez — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 17:12:15 GMT

Learn all about vibe coding, no experience required, and get inspired by real-world success.

Alfredo Ramirez is Vice President of Revenue Strategy at Microsoft, where his team runs sales planning, performance management, and commercial transformation across the Microsoft global sales organization.

Many of the most impactful tools my team uses today weren’t built by engineers. They were instead built by operations leads, program managers, planning analysts, and business process owners, people who had never written a line of code in their lives. And they built these tools in hours, not months.

What is vibe coding, and why should leaders care?

I’ve sponsored projects where, by the time we saw the first working version, we’d realized that the original ask should have been different. Requirements evolve, tradeoffs are real, and building reliable software takes thoughtful iteration. The challenges were always the same: feedback loops were slow, and the cost of change was high.

Vibe coding collapses that cycle. You describe, in plain language, what you want to build, and the AI generates working software. But I want to be clear about what this means. It’s not magic, and it’s not Describe it once, and the AI builds it. Vibe coding requires structured thinking: that is, framing the problem clearly, knowing what good looks like, and iterating not just the output but also the approach when it’s broken. The process is closer to negotiation than dictation.

What you don’t need is a programming background. We’ve been told that tools like GitHub Copilot are for developers, that business users won’t learn interfaces like Visual Studio Code, that this world belongs to engineers. I’ve found the opposite. What you actually need is deep knowledge of your domain: your problem, your data, your business rules, and what a useful solution looks like to you. Your team already has what vibe coding runs on: domain expertise, institutional knowledge, judgment about what matters. The work is the thinking. AI handles the implementation.

How I got here

I’m a former engineer who spent years with my hands on a keyboard before moving into strategy and leadership at Microsoft. When new AI capabilities emerged, I didn’t just read about them; I started experimenting with tiny helper tools, built using GitHub Copilot. Then I hit a real business problem and decided to see what vibe coding could do at scale. The result wasn’t just a working solution, it was a realization: the bottleneck had always been access to the tools, not technical skills.

So I stopped experimenting alone. I ran live demos in my team meetings, showing people their own data, their own processes, and their own pain points being solved in real time with GitHub Copilot and VS Code. The conversation went from What is AI, and how do we do this? to What should we build next? People stopped asking for tools and started building them.

What my team built

A non-developer trimmed incident response time from an hour to minutes. This colleague who manages support escalations was spending an hour or more, per incident, manually navigating databases, reading case details, and drafting executive summaries. He’d never written code. He vibe coded a Python script that queries our data systems, formats results into a structured prompt, and returns ready-to-send executive summaries. When the AI suggested a heavyweight Azure deployment, he pushed back and asked, Is there another way? and got three simpler alternatives. Every incident now gets the same rigorous analysis, regardless of who processes it. The barrier wasn’t technical difficulty; it was the perception that it would be technically difficult.

One team delivered significant results in a fraction of the usual time. Two members of our partner experience team, both first-time VS Code users, vibe coded a full interactive prototype for a co-sell experience between Microsoft sellers and partner sellers. They fed in requirement docs, meeting transcripts, partner feedback, and design principles. GitHub Copilot synthesized it all into a coherent spec and interactive HTML demo. When stakeholders saw it, they could react to real artifacts instead of printed concepts. One senior leader said it plainly, “You did more in 10 days than we’ve been able to do in 10 months.” The prototype has since been handed to engineering for production build-out. The people closest to the problem could finally show, not just tell.

A team member adapted the tools to her brain and then used that adaptation to build for everyone else. One colleague had never written code. When she started using VS Code and GitHub Copilot, she shaped the tool to match how her brain works: how she takes in information, how she stays focused and moves through complexity. It became an extension of her thinking, rather than something she had to contort herself to use. This made what came next possible. She noticed that leaders had no good way to prepare for high-stakes review meetings: the metrics kept changing, definitions were scattered, context was buried. And no one had filed a ticket for this. She fed her existing prep materials into VS Code and built an interactive hub that organizes metrics by how leaders think when preparing for reviews. The hub reduces noise, surfaces what matters, and links directly to source reports. The design choices she made for herself (clarity, structure, reduced cognitive load) turned out to be exactly what leaders needed. That’s what happens when the person building the tool is also the person who understands the problem.

What I’ve learned watching this unfold

These aren’t experiments. They’re real business processes running in production, saving measurable hours. And they’re built by people whose job titles say nothing about software development.

When I introduced this across our organization, I heard the same concerns that many leaders hear: Will AI take my job? What I’ve seen is the opposite. People feel ownership over their work in a way they didn’t before, because they’re solving problems they’ve been working around for years. AI didn’t replace them; it gave them the means to finally act on the expertise they’ve always had.

Every one of my team members who built something useful also failed multiple times along the way. They hit loops where the AI got stuck. They got suggestions that were too complex. They learned to ask: Is there a simpler way to do this? and Let’s reset and try again. Make it safe to try.

This doesn’t require additional budget, new initiatives, or engineering capacity. The people who know the work best can start building today. Show your team what’s possible with their own data, their own problems, in real time. Leaders are much more likely to engage when they see transformation happening than they are when reading about it on a slide.

If you still believe that these tools are only for engineers, you could be leaving some of your best problem-solvers on the sidelines.

Give your people the tools and permission, and then get out of the way.

Learn how to get started with vibe coding on AI Skills Navigator.

The AI job boom continues: Build the skills that move business forward

GretchenLaBelle — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 20:00:41 GMT

Discover new AI powered business Certifications to validate the skills that matter most.

Gretchen LaBelle: Copilot + Agents Learning Portfolio Manager, Global Skilling

Tarek Saleh Eldin: Content Publishing Manager, Global Skilling

In Part 1 of this series, The AI job boom is here. Are you ready to showcase your skills?, we explored how Microsoft Certifications across AI, cloud, and security are evolving to keep pace with a rapidly changing job market. AI is no longer a niche capability. It’s becoming foundational across roles, reshaping how work gets done, and redefining how professionals create impact.

This post picks up that thread.

As organizations move from experimenting with AI to operationalizing it at scale, big changes are happening in business solutions roles. These shifts demand the ability to apply AI in real business contexts, redesign processes, build intelligent apps and agents, and lead transformation responsibly across the organization.

Earlier this year, Microsoft introduced four new AI business solutions Certifications:

Microsoft Certified: Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect (Exam AB‑100)
Microsoft 365 Certified: Copilot and Agent Administration Fundamentals (Exam AB‑900)
Microsoft Certified: AI Business Professional (Exam AB‑730)
Microsoft Certified: AI Transformation Leader (Exam AB‑731)

Together, these Certifications map to the critical roles in an AI‑driven workplace, from business practitioners and IT administrators to solution architects and transformation leaders. Building on that foundation, we’re launching new Certifications to help amplify human skills for AI-powered roles in the business landscape.

New AI business solutions credentials: April 2026 and beyond

Additional new Certification exams begin rolling out in beta starting in April 2026, with more releases over the following months, and going live later this year.

The Microsoft Certified: AI Agent Builder Associate Certification is designed for tech pros, including developers, AI engineers, and architects, who are pushing AI agents beyond out‑of‑the‑box scenarios to implement production‑ready Microsoft Copilot Studio agents and multi‑agent solutions capable of sophisticated processes, workflow automation, and enterprise integration. Exam AB-620 beta and training available in April 2026; exam expected to go live in June 2026.

The Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Contact Center AI Engineer Associate Certification is designed for contact center engineers and solutions pros who design and run modern contact center as a service (CCaaS) solutions with Dynamics 365 Contact Center and service‑oriented autonomous agents. This Certification goes beyond routing and channels, focusing on how AI, Microsoft Copilot, and agents deliver scalable, always‑on service across voice and digital channels. Exam AB-250 beta and training available in June 2026; exam expected to go live in August 2026.

The Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Sales AI Consultant Associate Certification is for modern sellers who design and operationalize AI‑powered sales solutions across the lead‑to‑cash lifecycle, emphasizing Copilot-driven productivity and insights, AI-powered opportunity research and qualification, agent configuration and lifecycle management, and secure, scalable automation aligned with governance and responsible AI. Exam AB‑210 beta and training available in May 2026; exam expected to go live in June 2026.

The Microsoft Certified: Intelligent Applications Builder Associate Certification equips Microsoft Power Platform pros to build for an AI-first world, where apps, agents, automation, and models work as one. It validates the skills to use Copilot and natural language to design intelligent solutions, embed agents across experiences, and ship responsibly with strong governance and application lifecycle management. Exam AB-410 beta and training available in April 2026; exam expected to go live in June 2026.

The Microsoft Applied Skills: Build an agent-first app credential validates learners’ ability to build an app that surfaces a Copilot Studio agent and to craft prompts that make the agent genuinely effective, not just functional. This credential is part of the broader Microsoft Certified: Intelligent Applications Builder Associate (Exam AB-410) Certification journey, serving as a fast, accessible entry point for those looking to get started with agent-first development before pursuing the full Certification. Credential and training expected to go live in June 2026.

Refresh: The Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Fundamentals Certification (Exam PL-900) is being updated with a streamlined, one-day instructor-led course and a new training program. These improvements are designed to align with the AI-powered Microsoft Power Platform and to make it easier than ever for learners to start building confidently. Training and courseware updates are scheduled for June 2026, with minor exam changes planned at the same time to reflect these enhancements.

Retiring Certifications: What you need to know

We’re committed to keeping our Certifications portfolio aligned with latest technology. As we launch new Certifications, we also retire some older credentials to keep the portfolio mapped to evolving roles.

The following table itemizes what’s changing and provides key dates for Certification and training retirements in 2026. If your Certification is eligible for renewal, please renew it before the retirement date.

Retiring Microsoft Credential	Credential and exam retirement date	Planned training retirement date	Related new Credential
Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Customer Experience Analyst Associate (Exam MB-280)	July 31, 2026	July 31, 2026	Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Sales AI Consultant Associate (Exam AB-210)
Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Functional Consultant Associate (Exam PL-200)	August 31, 2026	August 31, 2026	Microsoft Certified: Intelligent Applications Builder Associate (Exam AB-410)
Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365: Finance and Operations Apps Solution Architect Expert (Exam MB-700)	June 30, 2026	June 30, 2026	No new Certification is planned. To stay up to date with these technologies please refer to the Microsoft technical documentation.
Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Solution Architect Expert (Exam PL-600)	June 30, 2026	June 30, 2026
Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management Functional Consultant Expert (Exam MB-335)	June 30, 2026	June 30, 2026
Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Field Service Functional Consultant Associate (Exam MB-240)	June 30, 2026	June 30, 2026
Microsoft Certified: Power Automate RPA Developer Associate (Exam PL-500)	June 30, 2026	June 30, 2026
Microsoft Applied Skills: Create and manage model-driven apps with Power Apps and Dataverse	June 30, 2026	June 30, 2026	Microsoft Applied Skills: Build an agent-first app

Note: The recently released Microsoft Certified: Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect Certification (Exam AB‑100), although not a direct replacement for the retiring Certifications listed here, is the flagship expert‑level Certification, spanning a significantly broader scope and covering agentic architectures, AI‑driven solution design, and end‑to‑end business impact. If you currently hold one of the retiring expert-level Certifications (associated with Exam MB‑700, Exam PL‑600, Exam MB-335, Exam MB-240, or Exam PL-500), consider pursuing the Microsoft Certified: Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect Certification (Exam AB‑100) as your next step.

Navigating the transition: FAQs

The following questions and answers can help you determine how these retirements and expanded portfolio could impact your learning journey:

Q. Why is Microsoft implementing these updates?

A. Microsoft Credentials are valuable, as is the time you spend earning them. With the ongoing evolutions in technology, it’s essential that we keep the credentials up to date so we can help you stay aligned with latest skills and trends. We’re implementing these updates to provide a valuable path forward to keep up with the latest skills.

Q. I’ve already earned one of the retiring Certifications. What happens now?

A. If you’ve already earned any of the retiring Certifications, your credential remains valid until it expires. Retirement does not revoke or invalidate Certifications that were earned while the exam was active. They show your continued dedication to staying up to date and learning new skills in this ever-changing technical landscape.

Q. What if a Certification that’s retiring is part of the prerequisites for an expert-level Certification?

A. If a retiring Certification is required for an expert-level Certification, the requirements for that expert-level Certification will be updated as needed. The retiring Certification will be removed from the requirements and replaced (as appropriate) with a new associate-level Certification.

If you’ve earned an expert-level Certification by earning an associate-level Certification that’s now retiring, you’ll continue to hold the expert-level Certification as long as you renew the expert-level Certification when it’s eligible. After you’ve earned a Certification, and if you renew it when it’s eligible, you hold it until it expires.

If you’ve earned an associate-level Certification that’s a requirement for an expert-level Certification and that associate-level Certification hasn't expired, it can still satisfy the expert-level requirement. Be sure to meet all the requirements for the expert-level Certification before the associate-level Certification expires. Expired Certifications cannot be used to meet the requirements for an expert-level Certification.

Q. Can I renew a soon-to-retire Certification?

A. Yes, as long as it’s eligible for renewal and you renew it before the Certification officially retires, you can renew a soon-to-retire Certification. Please note that Fundamentals Certifications don’t expire.

Q. Is there a direct transition path from a retiring Certification that I’ve already earned to the related new Certification, or do I need to pass the new exam?

A. To earn the new Certification, you need to pass the new exam, since the new exam and the old one don’t measure the same skill sets.

Q. I’m preparing for an exam that’s retiring. What should I do?

A. The time you spend preparing for an exam and earning a Certification never goes to waste. If you’re actively preparing for an exam that’s retiring and a replacement exam has been announced:

If you’ve already registered for the exam, you can continue preparing for it and take it while it’s still available. Keep in mind that after the exam retires, you won’t be able to retake it if you don’t pass, and you won’t be able to renew it. Exam registration ends on the same day that the exam retires.
If you haven’t registered for the exam and there’s a related new exam, we strongly recommend that you prepare for and take the new exam instead, as noted in the following table.

If you’re not close to testing for this exam	Prepare for and take this exam instead	Learning path and instructor-led training expected to be available in
Exam MB-280	Exam AB-210	April 2026
Exam PL-200	Exam AB-410	April 2026

If you’re preparing for Exam PL-900 to earn the Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Fundamentals Certification, the new Course PL-900 will be available at the end of June 2026.
If you’re preparing for Exam MB-335 to earn the Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management Functional Consultant Associate Certification, Exam MB-700 to earn the Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365: Finance and Operations Apps Solution Architect Expert Certification, or Exam PL-600 to earn the Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Solution Architect Expert Certification, consider preparing for and taking Exam AB-100 to earn the Microsoft Certified: Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect Certification, the new flagship expert‑level Certification for solutions architects, available now. Note that to earn the Certification, you must pass Exam AB-100 and you must also have a current associate-level Certification.

Q. How might these updates impact partner competency requirements?

A. To track whether and how these updates might impact partner competency requirements, go to Solutions Partner for Business Applications in the Partner Center.

The bigger picture

AI is transforming not only what technology can do but also who does the work and how.

Whether you’re building agents, designing intelligent apps, transforming sales, or leading enterprise AI strategy, there’s now a Certification that reflects the real skills your role demands. These Certifications can help ensure that you’re not only ready for AI-driven work but you’re also leading it.

We’ll share updates for the new AI business solutions Certifications, including beta exams and go-live dates, on The Skills Hub Blog. Stay tuned!

Explore more Microsoft Credentials on AI Skills Navigator.

The moment AI skilling stopped being optional—and started being personal

KavithaRadhakrishnan — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 17:10:47 GMT

Find out what it takes to build AI skills with confidence, individually and as a team.

Kavitha Radhakrishnan is a General Manager in Microsoft Global Skilling, where she leads the teams creating AI‑first, learner‑centered experiences that help people and teams build skills they can apply at work.

Sunday night. The week hasn’t started yet, but the questions already have.

A leader is scrolling through AI headlines, trying to keep up with the constant changes. Every day there’s a new tool, a new capability, a new prediction about how work is changing. And it is. By Monday morning, the pressure isn’t theoretical; it’s sitting on a packed calendar and a team that’s already running hot. Everyone’s saying, “We should be using AI,” but nobody’s quite sure what that means for this team, this week.

Elsewhere, an employee is watching coworkers use AI with speed and confidence. They want to keep up without feeling exposed for what they don’t know yet. The gap isn’t intelligence; it’s psychological safety and a clear starting point.

And then there’s the learning leader who’s had the “training participation” conversation a hundred times, but now the question is sharper. It isn’t How many people finished?, but What changed in the way they work? The bar has moved from awareness to application.

None of these people are asking for more content. There’s plenty of that. They want a path that respects their time, fits their role, and helps them build confidence, both individually and as part of a team.

Enter AI Skills Navigator

AI is moving faster than most of us can track. The problem is figuring out what to do next.

Leaders don’t want to stitch together five different tools. People don’t want another long course about AI. Teams are looking for skilling that fits into real work. That’s the gap AI Skills Navigator is built to address.

AI Skills Navigator brings role‑based, practical skilling into a single experience, so individuals and teams have a clear starting point, a sense of direction, and ways to see progress as they go. Instead of an endless catalog, it offers guided paths that respect time, align to real responsibilities, and make it easier to turn learning into action. At its core, it’s designed to help turn skilling into execution—progress that people can feel and leaders can point to.

How AI Skills Navigator fits your flow

Alex, a team manager, is trying to set the team up for success.

The team is kicking off a new project with clear goals, tight timelines, and a mix of responsibilities across roles. Everyone is expected to use AI more effectively, but “go learn AI” isn’t a plan. Sending people to a long list of links doesn’t help either.

So Alex turns to AI Skills Navigator.

Instead of gathering content from multiple places, Alex uses AI Skills Navigator to design a skilling playlist for the team. The conversational AI experience helps him identify what his team really needs. The playlist is grounded in what the team is actually working on and intentionally structured around the project goals and role-specific responsibilities. It brings together different content formats on purpose: short sessions for core concepts, practice where it matters, and optional deeper dives for people who want to explore further.

It’s not about forcing everyone through the same experience. It’s about giving the team a shared path forward, while respecting different roles, learning needs, and preferences.

Sam, an experienced marketing manager on the team, doesn’t have to figure out where to start. A link from Alex lands in their inbox, and the intent is clear: this is what matters for our work right now.

As Sam works through the playlist, they move naturally between different ways of learning. The structure makes it easy for them to focus without feeling boxed in.

For a topic that matters most to the project, Sam chooses a skilling session. A video sets the context, and the Skilling Session Coach AI agent is there along the way—ready to clarify a concept, answer a quick question, or pause to check understanding. Sometimes there’s a short quiz to help Sam confirm that they’re learning and making progress.

People are juggling meetings, messages, deadlines, and more. Attention spans are shorter, and learning often happens in brief moments between tasks. AI Skills Navigator is designed for that reality.

Sometimes Sam feels like listening instead of reading. An AI‑generated podcast turns dense material into something easier to absorb. When time is tight, an AI-generated summary helps Sam catch up in minutes, without losing the thread.

From Alex’s perspective, there’s a simple view of how the team is progressing—enough to see who’s moving forward, where people might be getting stuck, and when it’s time to adjust the plan.

Together, these moments add up. Skilling sessions provide depth when it’s needed. Podcasts and summaries offer flexibility when attention is limited. Skilling playlists keep everything connected, so learning feels purposeful rather than scattered.

By combining structured paths with flexible ways to learn, and pairing AI support with human expertise, AI Skills Navigator helps individuals and teams build confidence, apply skills, and make progress together.

How we’re building confidence, together

AI Skills Navigator is designed to help people and teams build confidence, not by adding more noise, but by providing guidance that fits real work.

It brings together training content from sources that many people already know and trust, including Microsoft Learn, LinkedIn, and GitHub, and connects it into structured paths that make it easier to start, go deeper, and keep moving forward. Whether you’re learning on your own or designing skilling for a team, the goal is the same: turn learning into progress that you can feel.

And this isn’t static. We’ll continue evolving AI Skills Navigator based on how people learn, how teams work, and the feedback we hear from learners and leaders along the way. We’ll share updates regularly, including new content, new capabilities, and what’s coming next, so you can stay current as the experience grows.

After you've signed in, you can get started with these options. (Pro tip: To expand the navigation pane on the left, try selecting it.)

Managing business solutions with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central blueprint opportunity

LibertyMunson — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 14:29:16 GMT

Greetings!

Microsoft is updating the certification for Managing business solutions with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, and we need your input through our exam blueprinting survey.

The blueprint determines how many questions each skill in the exam will be assigned. Please complete the online survey by April 13, 2026. Please also feel free to forward the survey to any colleagues you consider subject matter experts for this certification. You may send this to people external to Microsoft as well.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact John Sowles at josowles@microsoft.com or Don Tanedo at dtanedo@microsoft.com.

Managing business solutions with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central blueprint survey link:

https://microsoftlearning.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5jQ6uQcXxNMrnLg

Introducing the Azure Databricks Data Engineer Associate Certification by Microsoft

popobajwa878 — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 09:57:49 GMT

The Azure Databricks Data Engineer Associate Certification by Microsoft is designed for professionals who want to validate their expertise in data engineering using Azure Databricks. This certification focuses on building, optimizing, and managing data pipelines, working with big data solutions, and implementing scalable data processing workflows. It is ideal for data engineers looking to demonstrate their skills in handling structured and unstructured data, improving data reliability, and leveraging Azure tools to support advanced analytics and business intelligence solutions.

腾龙公司最新注册游戏帐号直属网址

腾龙总部办公室 — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 05:13:11 GMT

腾龙公司客服V《 TL 9 1 99 8》

公司账号注册官网-《 T L 0 6 8 . C C 》

安全快捷稳定实体信誉公平公正每天24小时在线

第一步：打开浏览器输入网址《 T L 0 6 8 . C C》点击注册。

第二步：在注册页面，找到“注册会员”按钮并点击注册。

第三步：进入注册界面后，填写必要的个人信息，如用户名、手机号码、Q等。

第四步：设置安全且易记的登录密码。

第五步：提示注册成功，就可以下载APP登录游戏。

Implementing Monitoring and Alerting in Microsoft Azure

GulnazMushtaq — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 20:59:42 GMT

This session introduces monitoring and alerting in Microsoft Azure using Azure Monitor. Participants will learn how to track resource performance, create alert rules, and configure notifications to respond to critical events. By the end, they will understand how to implement basic monitoring solutions to improve the visibility and reliability of Azure environments.

Key Takeaways:

Understand Azure Monitor basics
Create and manage alert rules
Configure action groups for notifications
Monitor resource performance and events
Improve system reliability through proactive monitoring

Event joining link:

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/27597444332765?p=tlyFbMbQQSdQBxFeFx

Weekly Roundup for Learning Rooms (Groups)

AmyCloud — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 19:02:43 GMT

Hello Skills Hub Community! Below is a summary of what is happening within our Learning Rooms (Groups) so that you can stay in the loop and discover something new. To get frequent updates of their content, make sure to follow/join the group that interests you.

Find the full list of our Learning Rooms (Groups) here: Learning Room Directory

Learning Room	Details	Date/Time	Link to post
Copilot & Power Platform with Rishona	Discussion: Send yourself notifications about the latest Copilot updates with Power Automate		Send yourself notifications about the latest Copilot updates with Power Automate \| Microsoft Community Hub
The Fabric Café	Weekly #FabricCoffee sessions at Microsoft Fabric Cafe		https://www.youtube.com/@MicrosoftFabricCafe
Modern Development with Azure Integration and AI	Event: Azure Innovators Hub: Data & Intelligence MVP Live 2026	Monday, Apr 06, 2026, 3:00 PM GMT+3	Data & Intelligence MVP Live 2026

Four Best Practices for Leading Through AI Adoption

ChrisHenleyOnAI — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 17:00:07 GMT

Actionable guidance for building AI leadership skills—drawn from real customer conversations.

Chris Henley is a Microsoft Trainer, part of a community of professionals at Microsoft Global Skilling, working with customer and partner leaders to help them build the skills required to drive their organization’s AI strategy.

Where AI conversations are shifting for leaders

I’ve been working with executives and company leaders for several years, and it feels like the AI conversation is finally shifting from “What can AI do?” to “How do we move forward with AI in a way that creates real value?” That shift often shows up as organizations move beyond isolated pilots and begin integrating AI across the business: into processes, employee experiences, customer engagement, and innovation. Microsoft refers to this broader shift as Frontier Transformation, where AI becomes a strategic priority and changes how intelligence operates inside the organization, not just which tools people use.

From what we’re hearing from executives, one thing becomes clear: AI adoption rarely comes down to a single decision. Progress unfolds through small experiments, sharper priorities, and measured results that reveal what’s working and what to do next.

What seems to help drive adoption progress isn’t a rigid plan. It’s returning to a few best practices that show up regularly in real business discussions:

Reframe: recognizing that AI is not just another tool rollout, but a shift in how work is structured, how decisions are made, and where intelligence shows up across the business.
Focus: identifying a specific business priority where AI can create measurable value, rather than spreading experimentation across too many disconnected pilots.
Assess: taking an honest look at whether the organization is ready to move forward across data foundations, leadership alignment, team capabilities, and governance.
Commit: selecting a defined AI initiative, assigning ownership, and establishing how success will be measured over a clear timeframe.

These aren’t meant to be a strict sequence. Leaders often move between them as they clarify strategy, prioritize investments, and decide what to do next.

The following sections take a closer look at how each of these best practices show up in real leadership discussions about AI adoption.

1. Reframing how to think about AI in the organization

AI often begins framed as a tool rollout, but leaders I work with frequently find that this narrows the discussion too quickly. Many have shared that the most useful shift happens when the question moves beyond “How do we use this?” to something broader: “Where could AI change how our business actually works?”

I was recently delivering a training session with one of our customers, a consulting firm that had rolled out Microsoft 365 Copilot. Early wins were familiar: faster emails, cleaner summaries, better documentation, and the team was energized. But in one session we paused and asked a tougher question: if AI is now part of the business, should client reporting and analysis still look the same?

The focus shifted from incremental productivity gains to rethinking how insights were created and delivered. You start to see where work should be redesigned—not just sped up. The technology remained the same, but leadership perspectives evolved.

2. Choosing where to focus before moving forward

Another common situation we’re seeing is companies trying to use many different AI solutions in hopes of finding an area where AI might have an impact. Pilots are running across the business, but their intended business impact is unclear. Activity isn’t the same as progress. Momentum usually picks up when leaders choose one area where AI clearly connects to a meaningful business outcome.

The experience of one of our customers, a global automotive manufacturer, is a good example of this. Rather than trying to use AI everywhere, they pinpointed a bottleneck that was slowing down their accounting workflows. So, they applied AI document intelligence to that problem first. That targeted focus reclaimed thousands of hours of manual work.

You can see what’s working and what it tells you about your organization. Investment conversations become easier, because you’re not funding “AI.” You’re funding a business outcome.

3. Assessing organizational readiness as aspiration meets reality

One of the most useful shifts happens when leaders pause to examine how ready the organization actually is for AI. It’s easy to assume you’re “AI-ready,” but that closer look often reveals where ambition is moving faster than capability.

In one executive discussion, a leader paused and said, “I thought this was an IT implementation. I didn’t realize how much AI would change how my leadership team operates.” That moment shifted the conversation from infrastructure and deployment to the real question: Was the organization ready to operate differently with AI? The team shifted its attention to making better decisions, ownership, and leadership readiness.

You can see whether AI is tied to business priorities, whether teams have enough hands-on capability, whether the culture supports experimentation and learning, and whether risk and accountability are clearly defined.

4. Committing to shape your AI strategy through action

Here’s something I see a lot: Leadership teams often agree AI is important, but progress stalls when no one defines the next step or who owns it.

In one session, an executive team had been reviewing use cases for months. Mid-meeting, someone finally said, “We’ve been talking about this for a while. What have we accomplished?” That simple question immediately shifted the conversation from exploration to ownership. The team aligned on one outcome and how they’d measure it, and that’s when momentum finally started.

The goal isn’t to have the perfect strategy upfront. It’s to commit to a focused, informed, effort that starts to transform your business in a meaningful way. The efforts that gain traction are usually clearly defined, have senior leadership behind them, and everyone on the team is aligned on how to measure progress.

Time to roll up the sleeves and get to work

In the end, leading through AI adoption isn’t about getting everything right from the start. What I see work most often is leaders building the skills to navigate it as they go, and learning how to judge where AI really matters, where to begin, and how to move forward through focused action.

If you’d like a practical way to start that process, check out our new Develop AI Leadership Skills guide for a structured starting point. It’ll help you think about your organization's next steps with AI and it’ll give you a clear framework for prioritizing actions and moving ahead confidently.