New Certification for architects of agentic AI business solutions
We’re looking for architects of agentic AI business solutions to take our new beta exam. Do you have experience envisioning and implementing AI-driven architecture strategies, integrating agents into business solutions, and guiding organizations toward AI adoption? Are you skilled at designing, prototyping, and securing scalable AI solutions, analyzing technical requirements, and leading the end-to-end delivery of AI-centric solutions that align with business goals? If you excel at championing AI technologies, developing cohesive design application lifecycle management (ALM) and environment strategies, and driving enterprise transformation with agentic-first approaches, be sure to check out this exam. The new Microsoft Certified: Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect Certification validates your expertise in the skills listed in the previous paragraph and offers you the opportunity to prove your abilities. To earn this Certification, you need to have at least one active Associate-level Certification from the list of 11 AI business solutions Certifications and you must pass Exam AB-100: Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect, currently in beta. Is this the right Certification for you? This Certification could be a great fit if you’re an experienced solutions architect who specializes in designing and delivering AI-driven business solutions that transform organizations and foster innovation. You should be highly skilled in architecting agentic-first and multi-agent orchestrated solutions by using generative AI and Microsoft services, including Dynamics 365, Microsoft Power Platform, Microsoft Copilot Studio, Azure AI services, and Azure OpenAI. You should also be proficient in working with agents, prompts, and multiple language models, and you can adopt architectural frameworks to deliver measurable outcomes aligned with enterprise success metrics. Plus, you’re comfortable with open standards to help ensure interoperability and extensibility. Ready to prove your skills? Take advantage of the discounted beta exam offer. The first 300 people who take Exam AB-100 (beta) on or before November 18, 2025, can get 80% off market price. To receive the discount, when you register for the exam and are prompted for payment, use code AB100KBsunshine. 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 November 18, 2025. Please note that this beta exam is not available in Turkey, Pakistan, India, or China. Get ready to take Exam AB-100 (beta): Review the Exam AB-100 (beta) exam page for details. The Exam AB-100 study guide explores key topics covered on the exam. Want even more in-depth training? We’re creating new instructor-led training for this exam, Course AB-100: Architecting agentic AI business solutions, scheduled for release in January 2026. In the meantime, you can connect with Microsoft Training Services Partners in your area for other in-person offerings. Need other preparation ideas? Check out my blog post, Just How Does One Prepare for Beta Exams? Did you know that you can take any role-based exam online? Online delivered exams—taken from your home or office—can be less hassle, less stress, and even less worry than traveling to a test center, especially if you’re adequately prepared for what to expect. To find out more, read my blog post, 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 my post, Creating high-quality exams: The path from beta to live. Ready to get started? Remember, the number of spots is limited to the first 300 candidates taking Exam AB-100 (beta) on or before November 18, 2025. Stay tuned for general availability of this Certification by early January 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.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.Collect information like a pro – New Microsoft Lists forms experience
The new forms experience in Microsoft Lists is now rolling out for Microsoft 365 work and school. Our goal is to make it easier to collect and gather information directly into your lists – saving you time and effort. Thus, we are excited to launch a new forms experience built right inside Microsoft Lists – rolling out now. Note: This relates to Microsoft 365 roadmap ID: 124865.
