Microsoft Security Operations Analyst Blueprint Survey Opportunity
Greetings! Microsoft is considering updating a credential for Microsoft Security Operations Analyst, 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 January 6, 2026. Please also feel free to forward the survey to any colleagues you consider subject matter experts for this certification. If you have any questions, feel free to contact John Sowles at josowles@microsoft.com or Don Tanedo at dtanedo@microsoft.com. Microsoft Security Operations Analyst blueprint survey link: https://microsoftlearning.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3eXv88iTMTckTVI Thank you!
Powering career and business growth through AI-led, human-enhanced skilling experiences
Every day, it seems like there’s a new AI tool making headlines. In fact, this year alone, thousands of new AI-powered apps and platforms have launched—reshaping how we work, create, and solve problems. Instead of tech that demands more attention, we’re focused on AI that helps you make better decisions and gives you the skills to grow your career and your business. Work Change Report: AI is Coming to Work. January 2025. All this innovation makes one thing clear: evolving your skills at the pace businesses expect is essential—and really challenging. With over 3.6[1] billion people in the global workforce, organizations and individuals everywhere are grappling with the same question: How do we keep pace with AI? It’s not just a technical challenge—it’s a human one. With the steady stream of new courses, articles, and videos, finding exactly what you need—in the right format, with the right depth, and ready to share with your team—can feel overwhelming. We’ve heard from business leaders, developers, and employees alike: you want learning that’s relevant to your roles and projects, easily accessible, and short enough to fit into your busy day. That’s why we’re committed to deliver clear, role-based skilling paths and AI-led, human-enhanced skilling in a unified and accessible way—so teams can adopt AI faster and lead with confidence. Introducing AI Skills Navigator Today, at Microsoft Ignite, we’re releasing the next-generation 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. This is a smarter, more personalized way to build both technology skills and the uniquely human skills required to set yourself apart in an AI-dominated workplace. A single, unified experience: Build and verify your skills with AI and cloud content and credentials from Microsoft, LinkedIn Learning, and GitHub—all in one spot. Personalized recommendations: Get learning content curated just for you—based on your role, goals, and learning style, whether you prefer videos, guides, or hands-on labs. Innovative learning experiences: Immerse yourself in interactive skilling sessions—videos of human instructors, combined with real-time agentic AI coaching. Watch, engage, and understand concepts more deeply, like you would in a live classroom. Learn the way you like: Prefer to listen? Instantly convert skilling materials into AI-generated podcasts to fit learning effortlessly into your day. Custom, shareable skilling playlists: Use AI to build tailored learning paths that you can easily assign to your team or share with your friends—and track their progress—turning upskilling into a collaborative social experience. & Digital Skills, Vodafone. AI Skills Navigator is now available to everyone around the world as a public preview! For now, all features are in English, but stay tuned—we’re working quickly to add more features and languages, so you can keep growing your skills—wherever you are. Showcasing expertise in action Learning new skills is important. Proving to employers that you have them is just as critical. That’s why we’re expanding Microsoft Credentials—trusted for over 30 years—to help you verify your real-world skills in AI, cloud, and security. Whether you’re looking to stand out in your career or find the right employee to build out your team, our credentials are here to help highlight and verify great talent. Gartner Unveils Top Predictions for IT Organizations and Users in 2026 and Beyond (press release). October 21, 2025. GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Here’s how we’re evolving Microsoft Credentials: New AI credentials for business professionals, leaders, and early-career talent. More technical credentials focused on secure, scalable AI solutions. Flexible, short-form training content and skills validation for busy schedules. Unlocking human potential with strategic partnerships We know that building AI skills is a team effort. That’s why we’re partnering with leaders like LinkedIn, GitHub, and Pearson to bring you even more ways to learn and grow. Together, we’re making sure you have the resources and support you need—no matter your industry or role. LinkedIn and Microsoft are working together to set a new global standard for AI upskilling. With AI Skills Navigator, you find curated LinkedIn Learning courses that blend essential human and AI skills for every business and technical role. Whether you’re in marketing, finance, HR, operations, or IT, discover practical training that helps you stay ahead. This is just the beginning. We’ll continue to bring you more learning that helps you build professional and leadership skills. GitHub and Microsoft are making it even easier for developers to grow and shine in the AI era. By joining forces within AI Skills Navigator, we’re opening the door for over 100 million developers worldwide to build, prove, and keep expanding their AI skills. Our ongoing partnership is all about nurturing a vibrant developer community that is ready to innovate and keep pace with the fast-changing world of AI. Pearson and Microsoft are teaming up to make it easier than ever to earn and showcase your skills. Credly by Pearson enables professionals to validate their knowledge and gain recognition for their expertise through globally recognized digital credentials. With over 120 million credentials issued and rapid growth in areas like AI, Azure, and cybersecurity, this partnership will empower people to develop in-demand skills and advance their careers. This capability is coming soon. When it’s launched, all Microsoft Credentials will be published to Credly, giving learners a seamless way to earn, manage, and share their achievements. As these exciting partnerships continue to grow, we’re grateful for our Training Services Partners and their long-standing expertise in professional skilling—tailored, human-led training that helps people and organizations everywhere achieve real, impactful results. Helping build careers and businesses, one skill at a time AI combined with your ambition creates a future of tremendous opportunity for you. The hardest part is knowing where to start and direct your focus as the world moves so quickly around us. This is where we can help—whether you’re just getting started or you’re already far along the AI learning path. Together, we’re building a world where everyone can grow, evolve, and lead with confidence. The real frontier isn’t about technology—it’s about what people like you can achieve with it. And we’re here to help you get there, one skill at a time. [1] The World Bank: Labor force, total. Data source: ILO, OECD, and World Bank estimates.SQL AI Database Developer Blueprint Survey Opportunity
Microsoft is considering creating a credential for SQL AI Database Developer, 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 December 23, 2025. Please also feel free to forward the survey to any colleagues you consider subject matter experts for this certification. If you have any questions, feel free to contact John Sowles at josowles@microsoft.com or Don Tanedo at dtanedo@microsoft.com. SQL AI Database Developer blueprint survey link: https://microsoftlearning.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3skf26peunR5GOa Thank you!New Microsoft Certified: AI Business Professional Certification
Do you use generative AI tools, like Researcher and Analyst in Microsoft 365 Copilot, to enhance your daily work, boost productivity, guide decisions, and drive business outcomes—without writing code or developing AI applications? Are you comfortable with AI fundamentals, prompt creation, and applying AI to real-world tasks? Do you produce professional content, summarize meetings, and collaborate across teams using Microsoft 365 apps? If this is your skill set, we have a new Microsoft Certification for you. The Microsoft Certified: AI Business Professional Certification validates your expertise in these skills. To earn this Certification, you need to pass Exam AB-730: AI Business Professional, currently in beta. This new Certification shows employers that you’re an AI-ready professional who can drive better outcomes in any business role, that you’re fluent in using AI in your day-to-day projects, including how to be more productive and creative as you work across Microsoft 365 apps, and that you understand how to use Copilot and agents to analyze data and automate tasks. Is this the right Certification for you? This Certification is designed for business professionals who want to apply AI tools to real business challenges. Whether you're in marketing, operations, project management, human resources, customer service, or another field, this Certification proves that you can unlock new levels of productivity and insight. As a candidate for the Certification, you should have a basic understanding of Microsoft 365 and should be comfortable navigating core apps, such as Outlook, Word, Microsoft Teams, PowerPoint, and Excel. You also need to be familiar with common business processes, including creating presentations, generating images, and managing documents. If you use generative AI tools, such as Microsoft Copilot, to draft emails, summarize documents, create presentations, or generate creative content, like images and text, this Certification could be a great fit for you. Ready to prove your skills? Take advantage of the discounted beta exam offer. The first 300 people who take Exam AB-730 (beta), on or before December 11, 2025, can get 80% off market price. To receive the discount, when you register for the exam and are prompted for payment, use code AB730Smore25. 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 December 11, 2025. Please note that this beta exam is not available in Turkey, Pakistan, India, or China. Get ready to take Exam AB-730 (beta): Review the Exam AB-730 (beta) exam page for details. The Exam AB-730 study guide explores key topics covered in the exam. Want even more in-depth, instructor-led training? 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? Did you know that you can take any Microsoft Certification exam online? Taking your exam from home or the office can be more convenient and less stressful than traveling to a test center—especially when you know what to expect. To find out more, read 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, the number of spots is limited to the first 300 candidates taking Exam AB-730 (beta) on or before December 11, 2025. Stay tuned for general availability of this Certification in February 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.
