Announcing the Microsoft AI Skills Fest: Save the date!
*Updated as of March 28, 2025 The best way to learn something new is by taking it one step at a time. We know all this talk of AI can be overwhelming, so how about we take it one skill at a time? At Microsoft, our mission has always been to create technology that empowers others to innovate and solve real-world problems. And it’s no different with AI—we want to help you learn to use this powerful technology to make your life easier, especially as it becomes an integral part of our daily lives. Sometimes, starting is the hardest part, so we want to make that part simple for you. This is why we’re excited to announce the Microsoft AI Skills Fest, a global event this April and May, designed to bring learners across the globe together to build their AI skills, from beginner explorers to the technologically gifted. Together, we can learn a new AI skill and maybe even set a groundbreaking record at the same time! Everyone everywhere is invited The AI Skills Fest is designed with you in mind, offering a wide variety of AI training for everyone, regardless of background or expertise. Join us to build your AI skills and unlock new opportunities for productivity, innovation, and growth. Tech professionals. Learn how to quickly build AI-powered solutions using Microsoft's AI apps and services. Gain skills and experience working with agents, AI security, Azure AI Foundry, GitHub Copilot, Microsoft Fabric, and more. Business professionals. Find out how much easier your work life can be when you use Microsoft Copilot to simplify tasks and let your creativity loose! Students. Explore technical skills to bring your ideas to life, with AI learning experiences for all skill levels and interests. Business leaders. Empower your teams with AI skills for future success through curated upskilling opportunities. Let’s earn a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title together on April 8, 2025! The Microsoft AI Skills Fest will begin with a spectacular Kickoff Celebration on April 8, 2025. Starting in Australia at 9 AM Australian Eastern Standard Time and wrapping up in the United States at 4 PM Pacific Daylight Time, this 24-hour, globe-spanning event will feature a variety of AI learning activities designed to engage and inspire learners of all experience levels. Together, we’ll have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attempt a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for most users to take an online multi-level artificial intelligence lesson in 24 hours. Don’t miss this unique chance to learn, compete, and celebrate your achievements—and to be part of these unprecedented and record-setting global festivities. Check out the learning experiences we've prepared for this day. Mark your calendar and register now. Deepen your skills over 50 days of AI learning The celebration doesn't stop there! Following the kickoff, the AI Skills Fest will continue for 50 days— through May 28, 2025—offering a wide array of learning opportunities. Whether you're a tech professional, business leader, business professional, student, or AI enthusiast, there will be engaging and challenging training for you. Participate in hackathons, live in-person and virtual training, self-paced tutorials, on-demand training, community events, Microsoft Learn Challenges, and more. Mark your calendar for 50 days of AI discovery and learning. The countdown to make history together Save the date, attempt a world record, and get ready to unlock the future with 50 days of AI discovery and learning. Read all the details and register now. Now let’s get learning!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!Continue deepening your AI skills
Our kickoff celebration’s 24-hour learning blitz was an amazing start to the Microsoft AI Skills Fest! The festivities continue through May 28, 2025, and we’ve lined up multiple learning experiences for you. From self-paced tutorials and Microsoft Learn Challenges to live, in-person and online training sessions, hackathons, and community events, the AI Skills Fest has something for everyone. Our festival map is your ultimate guide to navigating the event, showcasing all the incredible zones and experiences we have in store for you. Dive into the world of AI, explore different areas, and make the most of your AI Skills Fest journey. This 50-day skill-building adventure offers you the chance to level up your AI skills so you can unleash your creativity, empowered by AI. Everyone everywhere is invited The AI Skills Fest is designed with you in mind, offering training for everyone, from novice to expert. Check out the many learning opportunities for various roles and interests: Tech pros: Build your dream AI-powered solutions Learn how to build AI-powered solutions by using Microsoft's AI apps and services. Gain skills and experience working with agents and AI platforms and learn more about AI resiliency and security. Business professionals: Unlock the future Find out how much easier your work life can be when you use Microsoft Copilot to simplify tasks and let your creativity loose! Business leaders: Boost your team’s innovation Empower your teams with AI skills for future success through curated upskilling opportunities. Students and AI enthusiasts: Gain the skills to help you realize your vision Explore technical skills to bring your ideas to life, with AI learning experiences for all skill levels and interests. The Challenge Arena: Gain in-demand AI skills while having fun If you want to compete with fellow learners, don’t miss the Microsoft AI Skills Fest Challenge, also running through May 28, 2025. Enjoy building new skills in a gamified environment. Plus, tech pros can take advantage of some fantastic Microsoft Certification offers! The Challenge includes 10 expertly curated topics to help you build AI skills, like simplifying your everyday tasks, crafting effective prompts, creating AI-powered applications, developing AI chat apps, and using AI to secure your data. Business professionals can learn how to solve typical work problems and streamline tasks with AI by creating effective prompts, along with how to develop an AI action plan to enhance productivity with Copilot. Explore the Treasure hunt for AI skills Challenge. Educators can build the skills to bolster AI literacy, improve cybersecurity knowledge, gain expertise with Microsoft 365 tools, and integrate Minecraft into their curricula. Explore the Teaching toolkit and essentials for Educators Challenge. Public sector employees can learn how to improve efficiency, decision-making, and service delivery by putting the transformative power of AI to work for them. Explore the AI for public sector upskilling Challenge. Tech professionals can gain the skills to build stronger applications, optimize architecture and infrastructure, and analyze information to create apps and solutions that transform their work. Explore all the Challenges for technology professionals. If you’re a tech professional, don’t miss the Microsoft AI Skills Fest Sweepstakes 1 for a chance to win one of 50,000 free Microsoft Certification exam vouchers. Winners will be selected at random in drawings from April 15 through May 28, 2025. Build skills, along with confidence, and get certified When you earn a professional certification, you demonstrate that you have the skills and experience needed to innovate and excel. Certifications can offer an advantage by providing globally recognized, industry-endorsed evidence of skills, technical abilities, and a willingness to embrace new technologies. Plus, according to Pearson VUE 2 , 82% of candidates gained confidence to explore and pursue new job opportunities when they’ve earned an IT certification. To help you get started or to continue on your certification path, in addition to the Challenge sweepstakes for tech pros, the AI Skills Fest offers other opportunities to earn Microsoft and GitHub certifications: Get a 75% discount off of select Microsoft Certification exams via Microsoft Training Services Partners. Get a 50% discount off of the GitHub Copilot certification exam via GitHub. Find all the details for the certification offers in the Microsoft AI Skills Fest Frequently Asked Questions. Make the most of your 50-day AI learning adventure Take advantage of the many exciting offerings during the Microsoft AI Skills Fest. Regardless of your role, experience level, or specific AI interest, there’s something for everyone. Join this incredible learning adventure to unleash your creativity as you build and demonstrate AI skills that you can put to work now and in the future. 1 Microsoft AI Skills Fest Challenge sweepstakes details: No purchase necessary. Sweepstakes ends on May 28, 2025. Participants must be 18 years old or older to enter. 2 Pearson VUE 2025 Value of IT Certification Candidate Report.New Certification for Microsoft information security administrators
We’re looking for information security administrators to take our new beta exam. Do you plan and implement security for sensitive data by using Microsoft Purview and related services? Are you responsible for mitigating risks from internal and external threats by protecting data inside collaboration environments that are managed by Microsoft 365 and for protecting data used by AI services, we have a new Microsoft Certification for you. Other information security administrator responsibilities include implementing information protection, data loss prevention, retention, and insider risk management, in addition to managing security alerts and activities. The Microsoft Certified: Information Security Administrator Associate Certification validates your expertise in this area and offers you the opportunity to prove your critical skills. To earn this Certification, pass Exam SC-401: Administering Information Security in Microsoft 365, currently in beta. Is this the right Certification for you? This Certification could be a great fit if you work with other roles that are responsible for governance, data, and security to evaluate and develop policies to address an organization’s information security and risk reduction goals. You also collaborate with workload administrators, business application owners, and governance stakeholders to implement technology solutions that support the necessary policies and controls. Plus, in this role, you participate in responses to information security incidents. You should be familiar with all Microsoft 365 services, PowerShell, Microsoft Entra, the Microsoft Defender portal, and Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps. Ready to prove your skills? Take advantage of the discounted beta exam offer. The first 300 people who take Exam SC-401 (beta) on or before March 12, 2025, can get 80% off market price. To receive the discount, when you register for the exam and are prompted for payment, use code G7X4B2M9. 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 March 12, 2025. Please note that this beta exam is not available in Turkey, Pakistan, India, or China. Get ready to take Exam SC-401 (beta): Review the Exam SC-401 (beta) exam page for details. The Exam SC-401 study guide document alerts you to key topics covered on the exam. For additional information, explore our Microsoft Tech community post, Level Up: Information Security Administrator. Want even more in-depth training? Connect with Microsoft Training Services Partners in your area for 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 SC-401 (beta) on or before March 12, 2025.Prove your in-demand data engineering skills and champion AI innovation
Take advantage of the newest certification for Microsoft Fabric In today's rapidly evolving data landscape, the role of data engineers is more critical than ever. As organizations increasingly rely on data-driven decision-making and AI-powered solutions, the demand for professionals with solid data engineering skills continues to grow. Data engineers must have expertise in a diverse set of tools and technologies to build resilient, scalable, and intelligent data systems. To support these professionals, we’re glad to announce the general availability of the Microsoft Certified: Fabric Data Engineer Associate Certification and its related Exam DP-700: Implementing Data Engineering Solutions Using Microsoft Fabric. This new certification validates the skills needed to implement and manage analytics solutions using Microsoft Fabric, a unified, AI-powered solution that integrates Power BI, Azure Data Factory, and Azure Synapse Analytics to help you turn raw data into actionable insights. By earning this certification, data engineers can demonstrate their expertise in: Implementing and managing an analytics solution. Ingesting and transforming data. Monitoring and optimizing an analytics solution. Get ready to take Exam DP-700 and earn the new certification: Check out the Exam DP-700 study guide and explore potential exam topics. Work through the available Exam DP-700 self-paced training. From January 14, 2025, through March 31, 2025, take advantage of a limited-time offer to get a 50% discount on Exam DP-700. For details, go to the Fabric Community. Register for the Get Certified: DP-700 live learning series, presented by Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs) and experts. Sessions begin January 28, 2025. Explore the instructor-led Course DP-700: Microsoft Fabric Data Engineer. For more information about the course, contact one of our Training Services Partners, which are located around the world. We’re retiring the Azure Data Engineer Associate Certification In addition to introducing the new certification, we’re announcing the upcoming retirement of the Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Engineer Associate Certification and its related Exam DP-203: Data Engineering on Microsoft Azure. The certification, related exam, and renewal assessments will all be retired on March 31, 2025. The following questions and answers can help you determine how these retirements could impact your learning journey: Q: If Microsoft is retiring this certification, does it mean that Azure Synapse Analytics will also be retired? A: Microsoft has no current plans to retire Azure Synapse Analytics. You can continue to deploy, operate, and expand the PaaS offering of Azure Synapse Analytics. For more details, read the blog post Microsoft Fabric, explained for existing Synapse users Q: What if I’m studying for Exam DP-203? A: If you’re currently preparing for Exam DP-203, you should take and pass the exam before March 31, 2025. If you’re just starting your preparation process, we recommend that you explore the new Fabric Data Engineer Associate Certification and its related Exam DP-700: Implementing Data Engineering Solutions Using Microsoft Fabric. Q: I’ve already earned the Azure Data Engineer Associate Certification. What happens now? A: If you’ve already earned the Azure Data Engineer Associate Certification, it will stay on the transcript in your profile on Microsoft Learn. If you’re eligible to renew your certification before March 31, 2025, we recommend that you consider doing so. Renewal of this certification won’t be possible after this date. Q: Will this change impact Microsoft Partners? A: Microsoft Partners who earn the Azure Data Engineer Associate Certification before it retires will continue to earn points or credit toward offering requirements as long as this certification remains on their transcript, until a year after the Certification is retired. New credentials may be eligible for inclusion in the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program requirements. These changes will be shared with partners when additional details are available. Validate your data skills with Microsoft Credentials Microsoft Certifications verify technical proficiency for broad role-based competencies, and Microsoft Applied Skills help you demonstrate your capabilities in specific scenarios or workloads, complementing the broader certification skills. Together, these two types of Microsoft Credentials can validate your comprehensive data and AI skill set. To prove your skills for data engineering, data science, and data analysis projects with Microsoft Fabric, such as implementing data science and machine learning solutions, Real-Time Intelligence solutions, or data lakehouses or warehouses, consider the relevant Applied Skills, logical complements for the new Fabric Data Engineer Associate Certification. Discover complementary Microsoft Credentials to prove your skills in data engineering, data science, and data analysis Get ready for a bright future The future of data engineering is bright, and with the right skills and credentials—including the new Fabric Data Engineer Associate Certification—you can be at the forefront of this exciting transformation. Embrace the power of Microsoft Fabric and join us in shaping the future of data and AI.Validate critical information security skills with our new Certification
The cybersecurity landscape is constantly evolving, and organizations of all sizes must stay ahead of the curve to protect their networks and keep their data, systems, and digital assets safe. With the growth of AI and cloud computing, defenders and cyberattackers alike can change this landscape. As a result, business leaders are reassessing their digital defenses, especially around data governance. And while the technology is critical, it’s even more important to have a workforce with the skills and experience to maximize its potential, protect against cyberthreats, and detect and respond to any security incidents. In short, security skills in the era of AI are crucial. To support these needs, we regularly review and update our training and credentials portfolio to make sure that it encompasses the latest technologies and in-demand, real-world skills. As these skills are becoming more defined for specific roles, we’re making some changes to our Security offerings. Introducing a new Certification for information security Created specifically for those in the data security and information protection profession, we’re glad to introduce the new Microsoft Certified: Information Security Administrator Certification that will be available in April 2025. You can earn this new Certification by passing Exam SC-401: Administering Information Security in Microsoft 365,available in beta on February 11, 2025. This new Certification validates the skills needed to plan and implement information security for sensitive data by using Microsoft Purview and related services. It also validates the skills needed to mitigate risks from internal and external threats by protecting data inside collaboration environments that are managed by Microsoft 365. Plus, it verifies subject matter expertise needed to participate in information security incident responses. As an information security administrator who earns this Certification, you demonstrate your expertise in: Implementing information protection. Implementing data loss prevention and retention. Managing risks, alerts, and activities. Get ready to take Exam SC-401 and earn the new Certification: Check out the Exam SC-401 study guide, and explore potential exam topics. Stay tuned for Exam SC-401 self-paced training. We’re retiring the Information Protection and Compliance Administrator Associate Certification In addition to introducing the new Certification, we’re announcing the upcoming retirement of the Microsoft Certified: Information Protection and Compliance Administrator Associate Certification and its related Exam SC-400: Administering Information Protection and Compliance in Microsoft 365. The Certification, related exam, and renewal assessments will all be retired on May 31, 2025. We’ve received consistent feedback regarding the fact that this Certification includes two separate roles—data security/information protection professionals and compliance professionals—and that each role should have its own validation solution. Although we aren’t creating a new Certification for compliance-related roles, we offer Microsoft Applied Skills that can validate these skills. Find more details in the next section. The following questions and answers can help you determine how these retirements could impact your learning goals: Q: What if I’m studying for Exam SC-400? A: If you’re currently preparing for Exam SC-400, you should take and pass the exam before May 31, 2025. If you’re just starting your preparation process, we recommend that you explore the new Information Security Administrator Certification and its related Exam SC-401: Administering Information Security in Microsoft 365. Q: I’ve already earned the Information Protection and Compliance Administrator Associate Certification. What happens now? A: If you’ve already earned the Information Protection and Compliance Administrator Associate Certification, it will stay on the transcript in your profile on Microsoft Learn. If you’re eligible to renew your Certification before May 31, 2025, we recommend that you consider doing so, because it won’t be possible to renew the Certification after this date. Validate your compliance administrator skills with Microsoft Applied Skills Microsoft Applied Skills help you demonstrate your capabilities in specific scenarios or workloads, complementing the broader job role competencies validated by Microsoft Certifications. By combining these credentials, you validate a comprehensive skill set across projects and roles. To prove your skills in security and compliance, consider earning the following Applied Skills: Implement retention, eDiscovery, and Communication Compliance in Microsoft Purview. Validate your ability to: create, configure, and apply retention labels; create and manage retention policies; create and configure eDiscovery (Premium) cases; implement Communication Compliance; and monitor and investigate data and activities by using Content search. Implement information protection and data loss prevention by using Microsoft Purview. Validate your ability to: create a custom sensitive information type; create and publish a sensitivity label; create and assign an auto-labeling policy; and create a data loss prevention (DLP) policy. Be part of the cybersecurity solution Your validated, in-demand skills can help make a positive impact in your organization and in your career. As business leaders aim to modernize systems, integrate new technologies, and fortify their cybersecurity in the era of AI, this new Certification is a great opportunity for you to become part of the solution—now and in the future.
