New Microsoft 365 Certified: AI Services Administrator Associate Certification
As AI moves deeper into mission-critical work, organizations need trusted administrators who can govern access, secure data, monitor services, and keep Microsoft 365 AI experiences running at enterprise scale. Show you’re ready with new Exam AB-650 (beta). AI-powered productivity is no longer just about enabling new capabilities, it’s about operating them with the right controls, safeguards, and visibility. Organizations need administrators who can help make Microsoft 365, Microsoft 365 Copilot, agents, and connected AI services secure, compliant, reliable, and scalable across the enterprise. The new Microsoft 365 Certified: AI Services Administrator Associate Certification validates the skills to configure, manage, secure, govern, and continuously optimize Microsoft 365 tenants, workloads, and AI services so organizations can adopt AI with confidence and drive effective outcomes at scale. To earn this Microsoft Certification, you’ll need to pass Exam AB-650: Administering Microsoft 365 and AI Services, currently in beta. Is this the right Certification for you? Candidates for this Certification: Configure, manage, secure, and govern Microsoft 365 tenants, workloads, and AI services, including Copilot, agents, and connected AI capabilities. Govern data access, protect information, and support collaboration between users and agents. Operate and continuously optimize Microsoft 365 and AI services at enterprise scale, helping to ensure reliable and effective outcomes in an AI-powered workplace. Candidates should have experience with Microsoft 365 workloads and Microsoft Entra ID, an understanding of Defender XDR capabilities, and familiarity with Microsoft Graph PowerShell. Ready to prove your skills? Take advantage of the discounted beta exam offer. The first 300 people who take Exam AB-650 (beta) on or before August 18, 2026, can get 80% off. To receive the discount, when you register for the exam and are prompted for payment, use code AB-650SkyClub . 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 August 18, 2026. Please note that this discount is not available in Turkey, Pakistan, India, or China. How to prepare Get ready to take Exam AB-650 (beta): Review the Exam AB-650 (beta) page for training resources, exam registration, and other details. The Exam AB-650 study guide explores key topics covered in the exam. 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 AB-650 (beta) with code AB-650SkyClub on or before August 18, 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 October 2026. Additional information For more Certification updates, read our recent blog post, Microsoft Credentials roundup: June 2026. Follow our credentials news on The Skills Hub Blog as we roll out additional new Certifications in August and September 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.AI Skills Navigator is now available in Microsoft Copilot
Start with a question for the Learning Agent in Copilot and get recommendations from AI Skills Navigator, helping you find the right next step whenever you need to learn something new. Matt Erni is Product Manager at Microsoft working across Learning Agent and AI Skills Navigator to bring relevant skilling into the flow of work. Learning new AI skills has never been more important for individuals and organizations alike. But when you need to learn something new, finding the right next step isn’t always straightforward. Let’s say you’re preparing a presentation, building your first agent, securing an AI workload, or even planning your next career step. You’re right in the middle of a task and realize there’s a skill you need to learn to do it well. The challenge isn't just finding training. It's finding resources you can trust that are tailored to your role, goals, experience level, and preferred way to learn. That’s why we recently introduced Learning Agent in Microsoft Copilot, a personalized AI upskilling experience that helps you build Copilot and AI skills in the flow of work. Learning Agent uses role information, work context, skills signals, and organizational learning sources to bring personalized recommendations directly into Copilot, helping you discover relevant learning opportunities and build skills when and where you need them most. Today, we're extending that experience through a new integration with AI Skills Navigator, our agentic skilling platform. Learning Agent can now also recommend training, skilling experiences, and credentials from AI Skills Navigator directly within Copilot, making it easier to move from a question to the next step in building a skill. Videoclip: Overview of Learning Agent in Microsoft Copilot. If the player doesn’t load, open the video in a new window. Turn work questions into learning opportunities Whether you're trying to solve a problem, build a new skill, or explore your next learning goal, you can start by asking a question in Copilot using natural language. Here are some examples: How can I use Copilot in new ways? What should I learn before building my first agent? Which videos can help me learn about Copilot Cowork? What courses can help me learn how to secure my AI agent? Which Microsoft credential can help me lead AI adoption in my organization? Learning Agent uses your question along with context from you and your organization to surface personalized skilling recommendations and guidance. With the AI Skills Navigator integration, those recommendations can now also include training modules, learning paths, skilling sessions, videos, and Microsoft Credentials. So, no matter what you're trying to accomplish, Learning Agent is there to guide you to the right next step. The recommendations from AI Skills Navigator are clearly labeled, so you can understand the source and choose the next step that works for you. Getting started is simple: open Learning Agent in Microsoft Copilot and ask a question about a skill, topic, or credential you'd like to learn more about. Keep learning without losing your place When Learning Agent recommends a module, learning path, or curated video from AI Skills Navigator, you keep the context that brought you there. You can open the recommendation alongside your Copilot conversation, explore the content, and use features such as AI-generated summaries and podcasts as you go. Progress is automatically saved in AI Skills Navigator, making it easy to pick up where you left off and continue learning over time. There's no separate sign-in required. The full AI Skills Navigator catalog gives you access to interactive learning experiences like skilling sessions or opportunities to earn Microsoft Credentials. The first time you access these experiences, you'll create an AI Skills Navigator profile, unlocking additional personalized learning, progress tracking, and recommendations in the full experience. Whether you start with a quick recommendation or continue into a skilling session or credential, you can keep learning without losing momentum. Learning for individuals—and entire organizations Learning Agent and AI Skills Navigator are designed to support you in skilling at any level while also helping your organization scale learning more effectively. Learning Agent can surface recommendations from organizational knowledge sources, including SharePoint, LinkedIn Learning, learning management systems, third-party content, role-play providers, and now AI Skills Navigator. This helps employees spend less time searching for learning resources and more time building skills. So, whether you’re building AI fluency, preparing for a new role, earning a credential, or developing technical expertise, Learning Agent and AI Skills Navigator help connect everyday questions with the learning opportunities that matter most. At the organizational level, this creates a stronger connection between employee learning, company knowledge, and the skills needed to support business priorities. Availability: Learning Agent is available to organizations and their employees with Microsoft Copilot. Access to connected learning experiences, including some third-party sources, depends on how an organization has configured and licensed those sources. Check with your organization if you're not sure what’s available to you. Keep building skills over time Learning Agent helps you get started on the right track. AI Skills Navigator helps you go deeper, track progress, and keep building skills over time. Together, they help individuals and organizations connect learning to real work and skilling goals. Get started now. Add Learning Agent to Microsoft Copilot and start asking questions about the skills, topics, and credentials you’d like to learn more about. New to AI Skills Navigator? Read The moment AI skilling stopped being optional—and started being personal.Building human-centric security skills for AI
AI is reshaping the workplace, and the organizations thriving in this new era know it takes more than just cutting-edge tech to succeed. A new kind of company is emerging—the so-called Frontier Firm. These organizations are building their business models around on-demand intelligence and hybrid human-AI collaboration. They understand that no matter how advanced technology is, it’s people—armed with the right skills, judgment, and foresight—who make the difference. Through targeted skilling and a culture of shared responsibility, Frontier Firms are ensuring their people are prepared to meet the security demands of an AI-driven world. This growing need for cross-functional security skilling is a central theme in our new e-book Skilling for Secure AI: How Frontier Firms Lead the Way, and we’ve pulled together three takeaways across all roles that preview how leading organizations are approaching this era. Let’s take a closer look at the key insights shaping secure AI skilling today: 1. Human expertise is critical when securing your organization in the age of AI AI may be transforming how to approach daily work, but it doesn’t replace the need for human oversight, judgment, or creativity. As AI tools become more powerful, so does the opportunity for human decisions to drive meaningful impact. That’s why Frontier Firms are strengthening their commitment to human expertise. These companies are equipping their people with the skills to use AI responsibly, securely, and collaboratively. For example, whether it’s reskilling IT teams to manage system permissions or upskilling data specialists to evaluate which datasets are appropriate for use, Frontier Firms are investing in targeted security skilling. By focusing on building expertise, these organizations empower their teams to move faster, innovate more confidently, and safeguard outcomes at every step. 2. Everyday use of AI makes security skilling fundamental across the organization With AI extending into more roles, understanding where human expertise intersects with security risk is becoming essential across the organization. For instance, business leaders can use AI to analyze performance data and line-of-business users can leverage AI to generate content. Each of these AI interactions underscores the need for widespread skilling that helps employees make informed, secure, and ethical choices when working with AI. That’s why security skilling can’t be siloed. Frontier Firms are addressing this shift by making security skilling a shared, organization-wide priority. They’re focused on making secure habits a familiar and consistent part of everyday work. By doing so, they’re building a workforce that understands how to use AI tools effectively and securely, reinforcing security as a core part of productivity. 3. Continuous learning is how to stay agile in a changing world Building security skilling across the organization is an important step, but lasting impact comes from making that learning continuous and adaptive. That’s why Microsoft offers resources like Microsoft Learn for Organizations, designed to help teams build and sustain skills across roles. As the landscape evolves, organizations need to weave security skilling into their culture, so every employee feels empowered to grow their capabilities alongside the technologies they use. Frontier Firms understand this nuance and are developing ongoing strategies to build future-ready security resilience across their workforce. From hosting annual hackathons to creating quarterly forums where teams can exchange ideas, Frontier Firms empower employees to adapt, respond, and lead through change. Showcasing expertise in action: Microsoft Credentials for Security As organizations work to stay ahead in AI, proving relevant skills has become increasingly important. Employers want candidates who can show they know how to use secure AI, while job seekers aim to stand out in a highly competitive market. Microsoft, with over thirty years of experience in credentialing, offers a broad range of Certifications tailored to security roles such as Security Operations Analyst and Cybersecurity Architect, as well as Applied Skills credentials for practical scenarios involving tools like Microsoft Sentinel or Microsoft Defender. Explore Microsoft Credentials for Security. Empowering people is the strategy for securing AI By building skilling strategies that reach across functions, Frontier Firms are prioritizing trust, accountability, and long-term resilience. Their success reinforces that equipping people with the right skills to securely use AI can give organizations a lasting competitive edge. Looking to identify and contextualize AI and security learning opportunities across your organization? Explore our new e-book, Skilling for Secure AI: How Frontier Firms Lead the Way—and be sure to check out the readiness tool at the end to help assess how prepared your teams are for today’s security needs.New Microsoft Certified: Multi-Agent AI Solutions Expert Certification
The future of AI isn’t a single model, it’s intelligent systems of agents working together. Are you ready to build them? As organizations move from standalone AI features to complex, multi-agent systems, the skills required are evolving fast. Organizations are no longer just experimenting, they’re deploying production-scale agent ecosystems that must be orchestrated, governed, and optimized. Introducing the Microsoft Certified: Multi-Agent AI Solutions Expert Certification, that validates your ability to design, build, and operate scalable, production-ready multi-agent AI solutions. To earn it, you’ll need to pass Exam AI-500: Designing and Implementing Multi-Agent AI Solutions (currently in beta). Is this the right Certification for you? This Certification focuses on the practical skills needed to architect and develop multi-agent AI solutions by using Microsoft Foundry and Azure. It validates the ability to: Design logical architecture for multi-agent solutions. Build and integrate tool ecosystems. Implement multi-agent orchestration. Evaluate, optimize, and monitor multi-agent solutions. Secure, govern, and deploy multi-agent solutions. Candidates for this Certification are expert-level practitioners with subject matter expertise in designing, building, and optimizing scalable, production-ready, multi-agent AI solutions and workflows. They lead the end-to-end lifecycle of AI solution development from architecture and design through deployment and optimization and are prepared to progress from building individual components to owning complete AI systems architecture and delivery. These professionals collaborate closely with developers, machine learning engineers, platform engineers, data scientists, and business stakeholders to translate complex business and technical requirements into production-ready, multi-agent solutions They should have experience developing AI and machine learning based solutions, deploying agentic systems in production environments, and orchestrating agent logic by using Microsoft Foundry. They should also be proficient in Python. Additionally, they need experience developing solutions that include Azure compute, network, storage, and data services. They should be familiar with open-source frameworks and standards, including Microsoft Agent Framework, Model Context Protocol (MCP), retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and LangGraph. Certification requirement: To earn the Microsoft Certified: Multi-Agent AI Solutions Expert (AI-500) certification, candidates must also earn the Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate (Exam AI -103) certification. AI-103 provides the foundational Azure AI Foundry and agent development skills that AI-500 extends through advanced multi-agent solution design, orchestration, governance, and optimization. Ready to prove your skills? Take advantage of the discounted beta exam offer. The first 300 people who take Exam AI-500 (beta) on or before August 5, 2026, can get 80% off. To receive the discount, when you register for the exam and are prompted for payment, use code AI500Wabash. 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 August 5, 2026. Please note that this discount is not available in Turkey, Pakistan, India, or China. How to prepare Get ready to take Exam AI-500 (beta): Review the Exam AI-500 (beta) page for training resources, exam registration, and other details. The Exam AI-500 study guide explores key topics covered in the exam. 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-500 (beta) with code AI500Wabash on or before 8/5/2026. 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 October 2026. Additional information For more Certification updates, read our recent blog post, Microsoft Credentials roundup: June 2026. Follow our credentials news on The Skills Hub Blog as we roll out additional new Certifications in July, August, and September 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.New Microsoft Certified: Azure Databricks Data Engineer Associate Certification
As a data engineer, you understand that AI performance depends directly on the quality of its data. If the data isn’t clean, well-managed, and accessible at scale, even the most sophisticated AI models won’t perform as expected. Introducing the Microsoft Certified: Azure Databricks Data Engineer Associate Certification, designed to prove that you have the skills required to build and operate reliable data systems by using Azure Databricks. To earn the Certification, you need to pass Exam DP-750: Implementing Data Engineering Solutions Using Azure Databricks, currently in beta. Is this Certification right for you? This Certification offers you the opportunity to prove your skills and validate your expertise in the following areas: Core technical skills Ingesting, transforming, and modeling data using SQL and Python Building production data pipelines on Azure Databricks Implementing software development lifecycle (SDLC) practices with Git-based workflows Integrating Azure Databricks with key Microsoft services, such as Azure Storage, Azure Data Factory, Azure Monitor, Azure Key Vault, and Microsoft Entra ID Governance and security Securing and governing data with Unity Catalog and Microsoft Purview Applying workspace, cluster, and data-level security best practices Performance and reliability Optimizing compute, caching, partitioning, and Delta Lake design patterns Troubleshooting and resolving issues with jobs and pipelines Managing workloads across development, staging, and production For engineers already familiar with Azure Databricks, this Certification bridges the gap between general Azure Databricks skills and the Azure‑specific architecture, security, and operational patterns that employers increasingly expect. Ready to prove your skills? The first 300 candidates can save 80% Take advantage of the discounted beta exam offer. The first 300 people who take Exam DP-750 (beta) on or before April 2, 2026, can get 80% off. To receive the discount, when you register for the exam and are prompted for payment, use code DP750Deltona. 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 April 2, 2026. Please note that this discount is not available in Turkey, Pakistan, India, or China. How to prepare Get ready to take Exam DP-750 (beta): Review the Exam DP-750 (beta) exam page for details. The Exam DP-750 study guide explores key topics covered in the exam. Work through the Plan on Microsoft Learn: Get Exam‑Ready for DP‑750: Azure Databricks Data Engineer Associate Certification. Need other preparation ideas? Check out Just How Does One Prepare for Beta Exams? You can take Certification exams online, from your home or office. Learn what to expect in Online proctored exams: What to expect and how to prepare. Interested in unlocking more Azure Databricks expertise? Grow your skills and take the next step by exploring Databricks credentials and show what you can do with Azure Databricks. Ready to get started? Remember, only the first 300 candidates can get 80% Exam DP-750 (beta) with code DP750Deltona on or before April 2, 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 early May 2026. Get involved: Help shape future Microsoft Credentials 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. 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? Explore Microsoft Credentials on AI Skills Navigator.New Microsoft Certified: SQL AI Developer Associate Certification
AI is transforming how data-driven applications are built, and SQL professionals are at the center of this new era. Whether you're a database developer, administrator, analyst, or architect, your SQL expertise is more critical than ever. With the rise of AI, quality data and secure, optimized queries are foundational to building intelligent, scalable solutions. We’re introducing the Microsoft Certified: SQL AI Developer Associate Certification to help you validate your ability to integrate AI capabilities directly into SQL-based solutions without needing to move your data, learn entirely new platforms, or move away from the T-SQL skills you already use every day. To earn this new Certification, you need to pass Exam DP‑800: Developing AI‑Enabled Database Solutions, currently in beta. Is this the right Certification for you? The Microsoft Certified: SQL AI Developer Associate Certification is designed for SQL professionals who build and maintain SQL-based applications and who want to integrate AI capabilities directly into their data solutions. As you collaborate closely with application developers, database administrators, architects, AI engineers, and DevSecOps teams, skills validated by this certification support the delivery of scalable, secure, and high-performance AI‑enabled applications. This Certification demonstrates your ability to: Design and build database solutions using structured and semi-structured data. Use AI-assisted tools to accelerate SQL development and database management. Secure, optimize, and deploy enterprise-grade SQL solutions. Implement vectors, embeddings, and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) patterns within SQL database architectures. As a candidate for this Certification, you should have experience writing T-SQL, developing databases on Microsoft SQL platforms, and working with continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) workflows in GitHub. We also recommend familiarity with AI concepts, such as embeddings, vectors, and models, in addition to AI-assisted development tools. Skills measured by the exam include: Applying advanced T-SQL techniques for AI-ready database solutions. Building vector and semantic search experiences directly in SQL. Implementing RAG workflows to ground large language model (LLM) outputs and reduce hallucinations. Integrating LLMs into SQL-based applications without migrating data. Designing secure, compliant, and scalable AI-enabled data solutions. Exposing SQL data through APIs by using Data API builder. Building and monitoring data APIs by using Data API builder and event-driven change patterns. These capabilities power use cases like semantic and hybrid search, chatbots, personalized recommendations, fraud detection, and predictive analytics. Ready to prove your skills? The first 300 candidates can save 80% Take advantage of the discounted beta exam offer. The first 300 people who take Exam DP-800 (beta) on or before April 3, 2026, can get 80% off. To receive the discount, when you register for the exam and are prompted for payment, use code DP800Belzoni. 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 April 3, 2026. Please note that this discount is not available in Turkey, Pakistan, India, or China. How to prepare Get ready to take Exam DP-800 (beta): Review the Exam DP-800 (beta) exam page for details. The Exam DP-800 study guide explores key topics covered in the exam. Work through the self-paced skilling Plan on Microsoft Learn: Become a SQL AI Developer: Prepare for Certification Exam DP-800. 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? Remember, the number of spots is limited to the first 300 candidates taking Exam DP-800 (beta) on or before April 3, 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 May 2026. Additional information You can take Certification exams online, from your home or office. Learn what to expect in Online proctored exams: What to expect and how to prepare. 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? Get involved: Help shape future Microsoft Credentials. 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.
Register now for the Microsoft AI Skills Fest!
*Updated as of March 28, 2025. And we’re live! The registration for the Microsoft AI Skills Fest is now open to everyone! Join us on April 8, 2025, as we kick off this global skilling event to bring learners of all levels, ages, and geographies together and attempt to earn a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for most users to take an online multi-level artificial intelligence lesson in 24 hours. We understand that the best way to learn something new is by taking it one step at a time, and learning AI is no exception. This is why we’re so excited to bring you the AI Skills Fest to help you gain valuable AI skills and to be part of a historic worldwide event. You can explore a diverse range of learning activities designed to help you build and enhance your business and technical AI proficiency—one skill at a time. After the kickoff on April 8, 2025, you can continue building your expertise with 50 days of AI discovery and learning, through May 28, 2025. Join us on April 8, 2025, to earn a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS TM title! We’ll kick things off in Australia at 9 AM Australian Eastern Standard Time on April 8, 2025, and finish at 4 PM Pacific Daylight Time on April 8, 2025, with engaging AI learning experiences scheduled around the globe. While we know learning new things is a treat in itself, we thought it’d be extra fun for everyone participating on April 8 to be included in the attempt to earn a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title—a little “learn and earn” reward. Follow three simple steps to count your participation: Register for the Microsoft AI Skills Fest. On April 8, 2025, participate in one of the learning experiences that we’ve prepared for you. The details will be available on the event page shortly. Confirm your participation before 4 PM Pacific Daylight Time on April 8, 2025. Instructions will be provided during the various learning experiences. Check out all the learning experiences we've prepared for this day. Unlock the future! Build the skills to stay ahead After the Kickoff Celebration, the AI Skills Fest will continue for a total of 50 exciting days—through May 28, 2025—offering a wealth of training opportunities for learners of all skill levels and roles. Whether you're a business leader, tech professional, business professional, student or general AI enthusiast, the AI Skills Fest offers curated learning experiences for you. Engage in deep dives, experiential content, hackathons, challenges, and practical sessions. By the end of your 50-day skill-building adventure, you’ll have all the confidence you need to level up your AI skills that can unleash your creativity and increase your efficiency. I mean, who doesn’t want a few extra free hours in your day, right? Join us in making history and be part of the Microsoft AI Skills Fest, where you can build the skills you need to put AI to work for you. See you on April 8, 2025!New Certification for machine learning operations (MLOps) engineers
Do your co-workers rely on you to deploy, operationalize, and maintain machine learning and generative AI solutions in production? Are you working at the intersection of data science, DevOps, and generative AI? If so, the Microsoft Certified: Machine Learning Operations Engineer Associate Certification is designed for you. This Certification validates your ability to operationalize not only traditional machine learning but also generative AI solutions on Azure, reflecting how AI roles have evolved from model experimentation to enterprise-scale AI operations. To earn this Certification, you need to pass Exam AI-300: Operationalizing Machine Learning and Generative AI solutions, currently in beta. Key skills validated by this Certification To earn the MLOps engineer Certification, you must demonstrate your ability to: Design and implement secure, scalable MLOps infrastructure. Automate resource provisioning and deployments by using GitHub Actions, Bicep, and Azure CLI. Orchestrate training, manage model registration and versioning, and monitor production models. Deploy and operationalize generative AI solutions by using Microsoft Foundry. Implement quality assurance, observability, and safety evaluations for generative AI systems. Optimize retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipelines and fine-tuned models for performance, accuracy, and cost efficiency. This Certification replaces the Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Scientist Associate Certification (Exam DP-100), which is retiring on June 1, 2026, and reflects the evolution of AI in the enterprise. Exam DP-100 focused on validating your ability to design and implement data science solutions, including data exploration, model training, evaluation, and deployment. Exam AI-300 expands the scope significantly. It retains training and evaluation but places much stronger emphasis on validating your knowledge and experience in automation, infrastructure as code (IaC), continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD), lifecycle governance, observability, drift detection, cost control, and the operationalization of generative AI systems. For more details on the retirement of Exam DP-100, 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? Skill area Exam AI-300 (new) Exam DP-100 (old) MLOps infrastructure Full CI/CD, IaC (Bicep, Azure CLI), GitHub Actions Basic workspace and compute setup Model lifecycle management Core focus, including registration, versioning, rollout/rollback, monitoring Full lifecycle from training to deployment GenAIOps infrastructure End-to-end lifecycle, including security, automation, and model management with Foundry Basic generative AI setup and experimentation QA and observability Generative AI evaluation, tracing, safety metrics, drift detection, cost monitoring Model evaluation and responsible AI principles Generative AI performance optimization RAG optimization, embedding model selection and tuning, advanced fine-tuning, synthetic data management Basic prompt engineering and fine-tuning Ready to prove your skills? Take advantage of the discounted beta exam offer. The first 300 people who take Exam AI-300 (beta) on or before April 2, 2026, can get 80% off market price. To receive the discount, when you register for the exam and are prompted for payment, use code AI300Meridian. 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 April 2, 2026. Please note that this discount is not available in Turkey, Pakistan, India, or China. Get ready to take Exam AI-300 (beta): Review the Exam AI-300 (beta) exam page for details. The Exam AI-300 study guide explores key topics covered in the exam. Want even more in-depth instructor-led training? We’re creating new instructor-led training that will be released in late March 2026. 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? You can take certification exams online, from home or the office. Learn what to expect in Online proctored exams: What to expect and how to prepare. The rescore process starts on the day an exam goes live, and final scores for beta exams are released approximately 10 days after that. For details on the timing of beta exam rescoring and results, check out Creating high-quality exams: The path from beta to live. Ready to get started? Remember, only the first 300 candidates can get 80% off Exam AI-300 (beta) with code AI300Meridian on or before April 2, 2026. Stay tuned for general availability of this Certification in May 2026. Learn more about Microsoft Credentials. Related announcements We recently migrated our subject matter expert (SME) database to LinkedIn. To be notified of beta exam availability or opportunities to help with the development of exam, assessment, or learning content, sign up today for the Microsoft Worldwide Learning SME Group for Credentials.AI and human potential: Advancing skills, innovation, and outcomes
When empowered employees put AI skills into action, true transformation begins. Across industries and around the world, organizations are teaming up with Microsoft to help their employees learn the skills they need to put AI into practice. Building AI skills today sets up employees and organizations to thrive in the opportunities of tomorrow. At visionary organizations, like Albertsons Companies, Casey’s, Levi Strauss, and Newell Brands, teams are moving beyond theory and weaving AI into everyday work, transforming routine tasks into opportunities for innovation and business growth. This isn’t just about technology—it’s about people reimagining how they make an impact—and, in the process, they’re building resilience, driving growth, and creating success. AI Skills Navigator: Guidance for your AI-powered growth To help more people tap into this potential, we recently announced AI Skills Navigator an agentic learning space, bringing together AI-powered skilling experiences and credentials that help individuals build career skills and organizations worldwide accelerate their business. Forward-thinking companies Icertis, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, MTN, and Vodafone previewed AI Skills Navigator and shared their excitement about the experience. They see this learning space as a way to strengthen their learning cultures, prepare their workforces for the future, and deliver meaningful results—from better customer experiences to innovation that scales. Empowering teams to lead with confidence We believe skilling should always start with people, especially in a fast-changing AI landscape. We’re inspired by what teams can achieve when they feel supported, and we’re proud to work with organizations of all sizes as they help their employees grow and lead with confidence. The examples that follow highlight how enterprises across industries and regions are building future-ready teams with Microsoft skilling—and seeing real impact. The Adecco Group, a leading talent solutions and advisory firm that serves more than 100,000 companies every year, is committed to upskilling its workforce and preparing employees for the future of work. Partnering with Microsoft, The Adecco Group provides skill-building that supports 300 million candidate interactions annually and fosters a learning culture that scales AI expertise across the company. Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), the state-owned energy company of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, operates across the entire oil and gas value chain. ADNOC and Microsoft have committed to co-develop and deploy agents that enhance efficiency, enable autonomous operations, and reduce emissions. This collaboration includes advanced AI tools and workforce training from Microsoft, in addition to the creation of a joint innovation ecosystem to drive transformative energy solutions. Albertsons Companies, one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States, is helping its associates be more effective with AI. According to Anuj Dhanda, Executive Vice President (EVP), Chief Technology & Transformation Officer, "At Albertsons Companies, we’re better together, whether in our stores or behind the scenes, and we embrace groundbreaking innovation that empowers each of our team members to earn customers for life. Our partnership with Microsoft is one of many transformative AI initiatives we’re implementing to unlock the potential of AI, helping our associates to be more effective, simplify their work, and build a more capable workforce to serve our 37 million customers each week." The Belgian Ministry of Defense is working with Microsoft to strengthen its capabilities through the practical application of generative AI, supporting a future-ready workforce. With AI coaching, the ministry equips its personnel with the skills to enhance digital resilience and operational effectiveness. Bupa APAC, a global leader in health insurance, health services, and aged care, keeps skilling central to its strategy evolution. The company cites AI as a critical part of its transformation but points out that technology alone isn't enough. It’s focused on its teams—building the right skills to make AI effective across the organization. Casey’s, a Fortune 500 convenience store chain and one of the largest pizza retailers in the United States, is embracing AI throughout the company. As Sanjeev Satturu, Senior Vice President (SVP) and Chief Information Officer (CIO), explains, “At Casey's, we are dedicated to fostering digital dexterity by equipping our teams with innovative AI tools. Through our strategic partnership with Microsoft, we are providing employees with the knowledge and resources to seamlessly integrate AI into their daily work, empowering them to extend their capabilities, boost productivity, and drive our evolution. By embracing AI in everyday actions, we amplify our collective potential and accelerate meaningful progress across the organization.” CloudThat, a Microsoft Training Services Partner and award-winning global leader in training and consulting, set out to reimagine how people learn cloud and AI technologies. The result is CloudAttack, a proprietary, generative AI–powered, gamified learning platform that’s making skill-building more interactive, enjoyable, and measurable. As a result of CloudAttack, participants express new confidence in using Microsoft 365 Copilot daily. Plus, CloudThat reports a 100% increase over the last year in Microsoft AI and prompt engineering sessions at universities, along with a 15% increase in Microsoft Certification exam participation among enterprise learners. The nationwide CloudAttack Prompt-a-Thon, sponsored by Microsoft, brought together nearly 1,000 learners, all competing to craft effective prompts and use AI tools, like Copilot, more confidently. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CommBank), one of Australia’s largest banks, is guided by its goal to build a brighter future for all. With Microsoft skilling offerings, the bank is enabling its teams to engage with AI, use the latest tools, and embrace new ways of working, as employees find out how AI can drive real impact. With a structured skilling approach and real-world experimentation, CommBank employees are learning to confidently apply AI to their day-to-day tasks, stay ahead, innovate, and help shape the future of banking. Conagra Brands, Inc., the consumer‑packaged goods company behind snacks like Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn and Slim Jim, continues its history of innovation by adding AI capabilities and skilling to a foundation of modernization. Training sessions and hackathons, held in partnership with Microsoft and demonstrating Microsoft Copilot, led to new ideas for specific use cases across business units. Conagra now has 120 Active AI Champions completing advanced Copilot trainings and 1,300 employees trained through AI + Data Day events, with a goal to train all 15,000 employees. AI skilling has helped Conagra teams be more efficient, generate less waste, and make better products for their consumers. Danone, a world leader in specialized nutrition, is exploring new frontiers in AI transformation. Juergen Esser, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in charge of Finance, Technology and Data, observes, “Our collaboration with Microsoft will accelerate our AI transformation, providing us with the tools, technology, and expertise to explore new frontiers in data analysis, operational efficiency, and consumer engagement. Working together is not just about technology; it’s about fostering a culture of continuous learning, innovation, and performance across our organisation." Digital China Cloud Technology Limited partnered with Lenovo, the world’s largest PC company, to create a training program to help Lenovo employees move from casual interaction with AI tools to meaningful, scenario-driven usage. The goal was to onboard 30,000 employees in China—about 40% of the Lenovo workforce—to Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat and Microsoft Copilot Studio. The results included significant gains in productivity, efficiency, innovation, and more. As Lenovo China Operations Management Professional Dan Zhao explains, “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." EPAM, a global leader in digital engineering and AI-powered software engineering services, is differentiating itself by focusing on Microsoft Applied Skills, moving beyond academic knowledge to real client impact. This approach demonstrates proficiency, strengthens outcomes, and provides a clear competitive advantage. With Applied Skills, EPAM fast-tracks AI readiness and project outcomes. Icertis, a leader in AI-powered contract intelligence, previewed AI Skills Navigator. Shwetambari Salgar, Learning & Organisational Development, is enthusiastic, emphasizing, “AI Skills Navigator provides an opportunity to upskill Icertis teams for the future through a unified learning platform. As a long-time Microsoft partner, we have a shared drive for innovation and continuous learning.” The International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics (ICAIRE), under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), aims to empower nations to advance ethical AI for the good of humanity. Through its global Women Elevate initiative, ICAIRE is equipping 5,000 women with entry-level skills in AI, data science, and responsible AI use. The program is delivered by Microsoft Training Services Partner Spectrum Networks and features a comprehensive curriculum covering foundational AI and cloud concepts, Azure essentials, and the Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals Certification. By combining technical skilling with a strong focus on ethical innovation, Women Elevate is helping shape a new generation of women leaders ready to use AI to increase productivity, shorten time to market, and contribute meaningfully to the global AI ecosystem. Koç Holding is a Fortune Global 500 company and Turkey’s largest multinational conglomerate, operating across energy, automotive, finance, consumer goods, and retail sectors. The company is taking advantage of Microsoft Applied Skills, empowering more than 6,000 employees to build future-ready skills in cloud, AI, and automation—underscoring the company’s belief that digital transformation begins with people. Koç Holding employees demonstrate their technical expertise through real-world tasks with Applied Skills, which focus on targeted, scenario-based learning and validation. These staff members are turning their new skills into impact, solving business challenges and driving agility. Lenovo, a global technology powerhouse focused on delivering smarter technology for all, is expanding its collaboration with Microsoft to upskill an additional 4,200 employees this year, following the successful training of more than 3,000 to date. What began as a small pilot has evolved into one of Lenovo’s largest learning communities, reinforcing the company’s position as a leading force in the AI revolution. Levi Strauss & Co., global apparel company, is building the foundation to apply AI across its operations. As Karen Scholl, Vice President, Office of the Chief Digital & Technology Officer, explains, “We’re empowering our people to tap into the power of AI to unlock new possibilities, reimagine how we work, and accelerate our evolution into a best-in-class, direct-to-consumer retailer. Our partnership with Microsoft isn’t just about technology, but it’s about building the right foundation to embed AI across everything we do. From product design to store operations, we’re building and equipping every team member with the tools to drive innovation and growth, ensuring Levi’s continues to thrive for another 170 years. By leveraging Microsoft’s technological expertise, we’re redefining what’s possible for the future of retail.” LexisNexis Risk Solutions provides data analytics and technology to help organizations assess risk, ensure compliance, and prevent fraud. Sarah Fabius, Technology Optimization Program Manager, notes that the company is dedicated to equipping its workforce “with cutting-edge AI skills that fuel innovation in risk and data analytics technology. Through our partnership with Microsoft and the integration of AI Skills Navigator, we’re ensuring our teams have the tools and expertise to lead in a rapidly evolving industry.” MTN is Africa’s largest mobile network operator. Paul Norman, Group Chief Human Resources Officer, shares his perspective on AI Skills Navigator, noting, “At MTN, we believe in developing an AI-fluent organisation that empowers every employee to adopt and utilise AI responsibly and ethically. Microsoft AI Skills Navigator provides an exciting new learning innovation that can help demystify AI through its learner-centric and human-first approach to grow and develop an agile, resilient, and AI-inspired workforce of the future!" National Australia Bank (NAB), one of Australia’s largest financial institutions, is advancing its strategic commitment to AI, with more than 100 initiatives underway and thousands of employees already applying generative AI to deliver real business value. The bank emphasizes responsible AI, inclusive innovation, and strong leadership. Through a joint effort with Microsoft, 600 women have received AI training, reinforcing NAB’s vision of a diverse, future-ready workforce equipped to lead in the age of AI. At NatWest Group, we see artificial intelligence not just as a technology, but as a capability we’re embedding across the organization. As AI becomes integral to how we serve customers, manage risk, and operate at scale, we know our success depends on the confidence and fluency of our people. That’s why we’re investing in every colleague, regardless of role or technical background, to engage with AI meaningfully and responsibly, helping us build future-fit banking. Nearly 63,000 colleagues have complete guided AI learning pathways, with elective completions rising 144% this year alone. These numbers reflect a cultural shift, one that’s grounded in trust, inclusion, and empowerment. By equipping our people with the skills they need, we’re not just scaling AI, we’re shaping a confident, capable workforce ready to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Newell Brands, a leading consumer products company with a portfolio of iconic brands, is empowering its employees with Microsoft technology and skilling. As Chris Peterson, President and CEO, points out, “At Newell Brands, we see AI as a catalyst for creativity, productivity, and transformation. Through the Microsoft AI experience training series and access to Microsoft 365 Copilot, we’re empowering our employees with technology that helps them work smarter, boost productivity, and turn ideas into action faster. This is about more than adopting new technology—it’s about fueling innovation, driving efficiency, and creating lasting value across our business.” NTT DATA is a global IT services and consulting company that provides digital, cloud, and business solutions to help organizations innovate and transform. The company is building its workforce skills in generative AI in close collaboration with Microsoft and other leading partners. The company intends to train 200,000 of its employees by fiscal year 2027 and, as of October 2025, had already trained 70,000 of them. This initiative empowers staff members to apply generative AI independently, driving innovation in daily tasks and creating new value across the organization. OP Pohjola, Finland’s largest provider of financial services, is fueling transformation in the financial sector by embedding continuous learning into its culture. In a joint effort with Microsoft, the company is ensuring that every employee has the opportunity to build AI skills and can apply them responsibly every day. This commitment and world-class learning strengthens customer service, fosters innovation, and helps to shape the future of banking. Ricoh, a global technology company that provides digital services, printing solutions, and workplace innovation, believes that real transformation starts with people. The company is advancing AI adoption across its teams in the Asia-Pacific region, focusing on skill-building so team members can use new tools with confidence. Ricoh and Microsoft worked together to deliver AI Learning Week, which gave employees the opportunity to explore ways to apply AI meaningfully and responsibly and to reimagine how they work, enhancing human potential. Swiss Post, Switzerland's national postal service, together with Campana & Schott and Microsoft, launched an ambitious AI skilling and adoption program, delivering measurable results. The organization conducts regular surveys to gather feedback and better understand impact. Teams across logistics, finance, and corporate services are reporting meaningful gains in productivity and efficiency, while employees cite faster access to information, improved collaboration, and higher satisfaction with their digital work environment. These outcomes reflect a clear return on investment—both in operational performance and employee empowerment. Vodafone, a global telecommunications company, looks to the exciting possibilities of AI Skills Navigator. As Steve Garley, Senior Manager Technical and Digital Skills, explains, “AI Skills Navigator learner-first design aligns well with an AI-first approach and Vodafone’s ambition for readiness in the AI era. We see potential in Microsoft’s [skilling experience] to transform traditional training models and deliver role-based, just-in-time upskilling that drives real business outcomes.” From retail to telecom and more, these organizations prove that empowered teams can spark innovation and lasting growth. Their experiences highlight a truth worth remembering—transformation starts with people. When employees feel confident in their skills, they create success that extends well beyond daily tasks. If you’re ready to empower your workforce with the full potential of AI skilling, get your teams started with AI Skills Navigator.
