The AI job boom continues: Build the skills that move business forward
Discover new AI powered business Certifications to validate the skills that matter most. Gretchen LaBelle: Copilot + Agents Learning Portfolio Manager, Global Skilling Tarek Saleh Eldin: Content Publishing Manager, Global Skilling In Part 1 of this series, The AI job boom is here. Are you ready to showcase your skills?, we explored how Microsoft Certifications across AI, cloud, and security are evolving to keep pace with a rapidly changing job market. AI is no longer a niche capability. It’s becoming foundational across roles, reshaping how work gets done, and redefining how professionals create impact. This post picks up that thread. As organizations move from experimenting with AI to operationalizing it at scale, big changes are happening in business solutions roles. These shifts demand the ability to apply AI in real business contexts, redesign processes, build intelligent apps and agents, and lead transformation responsibly across the organization. Earlier this year, Microsoft introduced four new AI business solutions Certifications: Microsoft Certified: Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect (Exam AB‑100) Microsoft 365 Certified: Copilot and Agent Administration Fundamentals (Exam AB‑900) Microsoft Certified: AI Business Professional (Exam AB‑730) Microsoft Certified: AI Transformation Leader (Exam AB‑731) Together, these Certifications map to the critical roles in an AI‑driven workplace, from business practitioners and IT administrators to solution architects and transformation leaders. Building on that foundation, we’re launching new Certifications to help amplify human skills for AI-powered roles in the business landscape. New AI business solutions credentials: April 2026 and beyond Additional new Certification exams begin rolling out in beta starting in April 2026, with more releases over the following months, and going live later this year. The Microsoft Certified: AI Agent Builder Associate Certification is designed for tech pros, including developers, AI engineers, and architects, who are pushing AI agents beyond out‑of‑the‑box scenarios to implement production‑ready Microsoft Copilot Studio agents and multi‑agent solutions capable of sophisticated processes, workflow automation, and enterprise integration. Exam AB-620 beta and training available in April 2026; exam expected to go live in June 2026. The Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Contact Center AI Engineer Associate Certification is designed for contact center engineers and solutions pros who design and run modern contact center as a service (CCaaS) solutions with Dynamics 365 Contact Center and service‑oriented autonomous agents. This Certification goes beyond routing and channels, focusing on how AI, Microsoft Copilot, and agents deliver scalable, always‑on service across voice and digital channels. Exam AB-250 beta and training available in June 2026; exam expected to go live in August 2026. The Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Sales AI Consultant Associate Certification is for modern sellers who design and operationalize AI‑powered sales solutions across the lead‑to‑cash lifecycle, emphasizing Copilot-driven productivity and insights, AI-powered opportunity research and qualification, agent configuration and lifecycle management, and secure, scalable automation aligned with governance and responsible AI. Exam AB‑210 beta and training available in May 2026; exam expected to go live in June 2026. The Microsoft Certified: Intelligent Applications Builder Associate Certification equips Microsoft Power Platform pros to build for an AI-first world, where apps, agents, automation, and models work as one. It validates the skills to use Copilot and natural language to design intelligent solutions, embed agents across experiences, and ship responsibly with strong governance and application lifecycle management. Exam AB-410 beta and training available in April 2026; exam expected to go live in June 2026. The Microsoft Applied Skills: Build an agent-first app credential validates learners’ ability to build an app that surfaces a Copilot Studio agent and to craft prompts that make the agent genuinely effective, not just functional. This credential is part of the broader Microsoft Certified: Intelligent Applications Builder Associate (Exam AB-410) Certification journey, serving as a fast, accessible entry point for those looking to get started with agent-first development before pursuing the full Certification. Credential and training expected to go live in June 2026. Refresh: The Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Fundamentals Certification (Exam PL-900) is being updated with a streamlined, one-day instructor-led course and a new training program. These improvements are designed to align with the AI-powered Microsoft Power Platform and to make it easier than ever for learners to start building confidently. Training and courseware updates are scheduled for June 2026, with minor exam changes planned at the same time to reflect these enhancements. Retiring Certifications: What you need to know We’re committed to keeping our Certifications portfolio aligned with latest technology. As we launch new Certifications, we also retire some older credentials to keep the portfolio mapped to evolving roles. The following table itemizes what’s changing and provides key dates for Certification and training retirements in 2026. If your Certification is eligible for renewal, please renew it before the retirement date. Retiring Microsoft Credential Credential and exam retirement date Planned training retirement date Related new Credential Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Customer Experience Analyst Associate (Exam MB-280) July 31, 2026 July 31, 2026 Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Sales AI Consultant Associate (Exam AB-210) Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Functional Consultant Associate (Exam PL-200) August 31, 2026 August 31, 2026 Microsoft Certified: Intelligent Applications Builder Associate (Exam AB-410) Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365: Finance and Operations Apps Solution Architect Expert (Exam MB-700) June 30, 2026 June 30, 2026 No new Certification is planned. To stay up to date with these technologies please refer to the Microsoft technical documentation. Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Solution Architect Expert (Exam PL-600) June 30, 2026 June 30, 2026 Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management Functional Consultant Expert (Exam MB-335) June 30, 2026 June 30, 2026 Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Field Service Functional Consultant Associate (Exam MB-240) June 30, 2026 June 30, 2026 Microsoft Certified: Power Automate RPA Developer Associate (Exam PL-500) June 30, 2026 June 30, 2026 Microsoft Applied Skills: Create and manage model-driven apps with Power Apps and Dataverse June 30, 2026 June 30, 2026 Microsoft Applied Skills: Build an agent-first app Note: The recently released Microsoft Certified: Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect Certification (Exam AB‑100), although not a direct replacement for the retiring Certifications listed here, is the flagship expert‑level Certification, spanning a significantly broader scope and covering agentic architectures, AI‑driven solution design, and end‑to‑end business impact. If you currently hold one of the retiring expert-level Certifications (associated with Exam MB‑700, Exam PL‑600, Exam MB-335, Exam MB-240, or Exam PL-500), consider pursuing the Microsoft Certified: Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect Certification (Exam AB‑100) as your next step. Navigating the transition: FAQs The following questions and answers can help you determine how these retirements and expanded portfolio could impact your learning journey: Q. Why is Microsoft implementing these updates? A. Microsoft Credentials are valuable, as is the time you spend earning them. With the ongoing evolutions in technology, it’s essential that we keep the credentials up to date so we can help you stay aligned with latest skills and trends. We’re implementing these updates to provide a valuable path forward to keep up with the latest skills. Q. I’ve already earned one of the retiring Certifications. What happens now? A. If you’ve already earned any of the retiring Certifications, your credential remains valid until it expires. Retirement does not revoke or invalidate Certifications that were earned while the exam was active. They show your continued dedication to staying up to date and learning new skills in this ever-changing technical landscape. Q. What if a Certification that’s retiring is part of the prerequisites for an expert-level Certification? A. If a retiring Certification is required for an expert-level Certification, the requirements for that expert-level Certification will be updated as needed. The retiring Certification will be removed from the requirements and replaced (as appropriate) with a new associate-level Certification. If you’ve earned an expert-level Certification by earning an associate-level Certification that’s now retiring, you’ll continue to hold the expert-level Certification as long as you renew the expert-level Certification when it’s eligible. After you’ve earned a Certification, and if you renew it when it’s eligible, you hold it until it expires. If you’ve earned an associate-level Certification that’s a requirement for an expert-level Certification and that associate-level Certification hasn't expired, it can still satisfy the expert-level requirement. Be sure to meet all the requirements for the expert-level Certification before the associate-level Certification expires. Expired Certifications cannot be used to meet the requirements for an expert-level Certification. Q. Can I renew a soon-to-retire Certification? A. Yes, as long as it’s eligible for renewal and you renew it before the Certification officially retires, you can renew a soon-to-retire Certification. Please note that Fundamentals Certifications don’t expire. Q. Is there a direct transition path from a retiring Certification that I’ve already earned to the related new Certification, or do I need to pass the new exam? A. To earn the new Certification, you need to pass the new exam, since the new exam and the old one don’t measure the same skill sets. Q. I’m preparing for an exam that’s retiring. What should I do? A. The time you spend preparing for an exam and earning a Certification never goes to waste. If you’re actively preparing for an exam that’s retiring and a replacement exam has been announced: If you’ve already registered for the exam, you can continue preparing for it and take it while it’s still available. Keep in mind that after the exam retires, you won’t be able to retake it if you don’t pass, and you won’t be able to renew it. Exam registration ends on the same day that the exam retires. If you haven’t registered for the exam and there’s a related new exam, we strongly recommend that you prepare for and take the new exam instead, as noted in the following table. If you’re not close to testing for this exam Prepare for and take this exam instead Learning path and instructor-led training expected to be available in Exam MB-280 Exam AB-210 April 2026 Exam PL-200 Exam AB-410 April 2026 If you’re preparing for Exam PL-900 to earn the Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Fundamentals Certification, the new Course PL-900 will be available at the end of June 2026. If you’re preparing for Exam MB-335 to earn the Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management Functional Consultant Associate Certification, Exam MB-700 to earn the Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365: Finance and Operations Apps Solution Architect Expert Certification, or Exam PL-600 to earn the Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Solution Architect Expert Certification, consider preparing for and taking Exam AB-100 to earn the Microsoft Certified: Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect Certification, the new flagship expert‑level Certification for solutions architects, available now. Note that to earn the Certification, you must pass Exam AB-100 and you must also have a current associate-level Certification. Q. How might these updates impact partner competency requirements? A. To track whether and how these updates might impact partner competency requirements, go to Solutions Partner for Business Applications in the Partner Center. The bigger picture AI is transforming not only what technology can do but also who does the work and how. Whether you’re building agents, designing intelligent apps, transforming sales, or leading enterprise AI strategy, there’s now a Certification that reflects the real skills your role demands. These Certifications can help ensure that you’re not only ready for AI-driven work but you’re also leading it. We’ll share updates for the new AI business solutions Certifications, including beta exams and go-live dates, on The Skills Hub Blog. Stay tuned! Explore more Microsoft Credentials on AI Skills Navigator.Microsoft Credentials roundup: June 2026
Read about Pro Badges, AI-driven Certifications, and Applied Skills, where learning meets today’s work. And find out how training service providers helped 153,000 learners develop AI skills. This has been a big season for Microsoft Credentials. With the introduction of Microsoft Pro Badges, a growing portfolio of AI-focused Microsoft Certifications, and expanded Microsoft Applied Skills offerings, we’re continuing to evolve how skills are built, validated, and recognized, closer to practical application. Here’s what’s new, what’s changing, and what’s ahead. Introducing Microsoft Pro Badges Microsoft Pro Badges, the first credentials of their kind, recognize real-world skills and proficiencies demonstrated through everyday work without separate exams. At their core is Verified Proficiency, our proprietary tool that measures and assesses performance through product telemetry, securely capturing evidence of your skills as you work. The first Pro Badge covers GitHub Copilot Verified Proficiencies. It had a soft launch at Microsoft Build in early June 2026 and will become generally available at GitHub Universe in late October 2026. Join the GitHub Copilot Verified Proficiency Insiders List to be among the first to get early updates. New Certifications: Built for an AI-first world We’ve launched one of our largest Certification expansions in recent years, spanning AI, data, security, development, and business applications. These new Certifications are designed to: Reflect how roles are evolving in an AI-driven workplace. Help you build capabilities for emerging AI-first jobs. Align closely to today’s job roles, helping you to build skills that you can apply immediately. Since February 2026, we’ve introduced 17 new Certifications and exams, now either in beta or widely available: New Certification New exam Exam status GitHub Certified: Agentic AI Developer Exam GH-600 Currently in Beta. Generally available in July 2026. Microsoft Certified: AI Agent Builder Associate Exam AB-620 Generally available Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate Exam AI-103 Generally available Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Cloud Developer Associate Exam AI-200 Currently in Beta. Generally available in July 2026. Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals* Exam AI-901 Generally available Microsoft Certified: Azure Databricks Data Engineer Associate Exam DP-750 Generally available Microsoft Certified: Cloud and AI Security Engineer Associate Exam SC-500 Currently in Beta. Generally available in July 2026. Microsoft Certified: Cybersecurity Business Professional Exam SC-730 Currently in Beta. Note: Based on beta feedback, we’re pausing the launch of Exam SC-730 while we reassess how it can best support learners and align with our evolving Certification portfolio. Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Contact Center AI Engineer Associate Exam AB-250 Currently in Beta. Generally available in July 2026. Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Sales AI Consultant Associate Exam AB-210 Currently in Beta. Generally available in July 2026. Microsoft Certified: Intelligent Applications Builder Associate Exam AB-410 Currently in Beta. Generally available in July 2026. Microsoft Certified: Machine Learning Operations Engineer Associate Exam AI-300 Generally available Microsoft Certified: Multi-Agent AI Solutions Expert Exam AI-500 Beta in July 2026. Generally available in September 2026. Microsoft Certified: SQL AI Developer Associate Exam DP-800 Generally available Microsoft Certified: Supply Chain Management AI Consultant Associate Exam AB-330 Beta expected in November 2026. Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Administrator Associate** Exam AZ-802 Beta in July 2026. Generally available in August 2026. Microsoft 365 Certified: AI Services Administrator Associate Exam AB-650 Beta in July 2026. Generally available in October 2026. *The Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals Certification is not retiring. Exam AI-900 is being replaced with the updated Exam AI-901. **The Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate Certification is not retiring. Exam AZ-800 and Exam AZ-801 are being replaced with the updated Exam AZ-802, and the Certification name is being updated to the more relevant Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Administrator Associate Certification. New Applied Skills: Expanded offerings for real-world AI use As AI becomes central to every role and business workflow, we’re continuing to add more scenarios where you can develop and showcase hands-on skills with Microsoft technologies. Recently released Microsoft Applied Skills: Get started developing agents in Microsoft Foundry Microsoft Applied Skills: Integrate model context protocol tools with agents in Microsoft Foundry Microsoft Applied Skills: Resolve GitHub Issues by using GitHub Copilot Coming soon Microsoft Applied Skills: Build an agent in Microsoft Copilot Studio Microsoft Applied Skills: Develop an agent with integrated tools Microsoft Applied Skills: Create agentic workflows by using Microsoft Foundry Microsoft Applied Skills: Manage GitHub secret scanning by using GitHub Copilot Microsoft Applied Skills: Protect information in Microsoft 365 Copilot by using Microsoft Purview Looking ahead, Applied Skills will become part of the Pro Badge ecosystem. Retiring older credentials As we introduce new credentials, we also retire older ones to keep the portfolio aligned with current technologies and evolving job roles. These retirements are tied to updated, AI-enabled credentials that better reflect how work is changing. Retiring Certifications If you’ve already earned a Certification, it remains valid until it expires. You can still earn a Certification before its retirement date. If you’re just beginning to prepare for a Certification exam, consider focusing on a newer option. Retiring Microsoft Certification Retiring exam Retirement Recommended new Certification Microsoft 365 Certified: Fundamentals Exam MS‑900 March 2026 No new Certification is planned. Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate Exam AI-102 June 2026 Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate (Exam AI-103) Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals* Exam AI-900 June 2026 Microsoft Certified: Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals (Exam AI-901) Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Scientist Associate Exam DP-100 June 2026 Microsoft Certified: Machine Learning Operations Engineer Associate (Exam AI-300) Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Field Service Functional Consultant Associate Exam MB-240 June 2026 No new Certification is planned. To stay up to date with these technologies, please refer to the Microsoft technical documentation. Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365: Finance and Operations Apps Solution Architect Expert Exam MB-700 June 2026 Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management Functional Consultant Expert Exam MB-335 June 2026 Microsoft Certified: Power Automate RPA Developer Associate Exam PL-500 June 2026 Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Solution Architect Expert Exam PL-600 June 2026 Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate Exam AZ-204 July 2026 Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Cloud Developer Associate (Exam AI-200) Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Customer Experience Analyst Associate Exam MB-280 July 2026 Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Sales AI Consultant Associate (Exam AB-210) Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate Exam AZ-500 August 2026 Microsoft Certified: Cloud and AI Security Engineer Associate (Exam SC-500) Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Functional Consultant Associate Exam PL-200 August 2026 Microsoft Certified: Intelligent Applications Builder Associate (Exam AB-410) Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate** Exam AZ-800 and Exam AZ-801 September 2026 Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Administrator Associate (Exam AZ-802) Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert Exam MS-102 October 2026 Microsoft 365 Certified: AI Services Administrator Associate (Exam AB-650) Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management Functional Consultant Associate Exam MB -330 Expected in December 2026 Microsoft Certified: Supply Chain Management AI Consultant Associate (Exam AB-330) *The Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals Certification is not retiring. Exam AI-900 is being replaced with the updated Exam AI-901. **The Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate Certification is not retiring. Exam AZ-800 and Exam AZ-801 are being replaced with the updated Exam AZ-802, and the Certification name is being updated to the more relevant Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Administrator Associate Certification. Retiring Applied Skills Retired: Microsoft Applied Skills: Implement knowledge mining with Azure AI Search Retiring June 30, 2026: Microsoft Applied Skills: Build a natural language processing solution with Azure AI Language Microsoft Applied Skills: Create and manage model-driven apps with Power Apps and Dataverse. Microsoft Applied Skills: Implement a data warehouse in Microsoft Fabric Microsoft Applied Skills: Prepare security and compliance to support Microsoft 365 Copilot Microsoft Applied Skills: Create agents in Microsoft Copilot Studio Microsoft Training Service Providers: The humans behind AI training In a changing job market, credentials offer both validation and reassurance. The AI Credentials Accelerator, a training series led by our global network of Training Services Partners (TSPs), brought this to life, reaching more than 153,000 learners across 12 industries through flexible, expert-led skill-building sessions on Microsoft technologies. Participants moved from initial interest in AI to credential-focused learning and readiness, including building agents with Copilot Studio and earning core AI and security Certifications and Applied Skills. Through webinars, master classes, and lab-based workshops, TSPs engaged many roles, from students to career changers to business leaders. The program emphasized flexible formats and expert instruction, with a clear connection between each learning activity and a specific credential outcome. Earning the Microsoft Applied Skills credential will formally validate my expertise in building production-ready AI workflows—giving me the confidence to deliver automation solutions and scale my agency’s capabilities. —Farhan Ahmad, Chief Executive Officer, NovaVerse Hub TSPs tailored this model to different regions around the world: In the Americas, NetCom Learning enabled learners to build credentials at their own pace. One participant, Tyre Sellers, described progressing through multiple Copilot-related credentials and using them to demonstrate real-world expertise. In Asia, Datapot delivered localized, hands-on training that helped learners move beyond theory and apply AI directly in their work, shifting mindsets to see AI as an essential future capability. In Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), the Leading Learning Partners Association (LLPA) trainer network supported professionals across five continents, helping them adopt AI and communicate its value using shared credential standards. In these sessions, credentials functioned as enablers rather than endpoints, with TSPs providing the structure, guidance, and flexibility needed to support ongoing skill development. To discover how these trusted experts can support your learning goals, check out Training Services Partners in AI Skills Navigator. Looking ahead: A more connected credentials experience We’re not just expanding the portfolio, we’re reimagining how the entire learning and credentials experience comes together. We’re building a seamless, end-to-end integrated approach on AI Skills Navigator: Today, in your AI Skills Navigator, you can discover available credentials and showcase what you’ve earned. Coming soon, we’re expanding the experience with Certification overviews, updated Practice Assessments, and curated preparation materials delivered through guided skilling playlists. Plus, in the next few months, AI Skills Navigator will support the full credential lifecycle, enabling you to register for and schedule exams, request an accommodation, manage renewals, access improved support, and earn and manage Credly badges. Our goal is simple: we want to make it easier for you to go from learning to practicing to validating and then showcasing your skills. Built to accelerate your growth Microsoft Credentials are a part of how you grow, prove your expertise, and move forward in your career every day. We’re continuing to evolve them to be: More practical. More role-aligned. More connected to how you work. As the experience continues to come together, you’ll have a clearer, more connected way to build skills that matter and to demonstrate impact where it counts. Discover more about 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.Microsoft Credentials roundup: February 2026 edition
February 2026 brings major updates to Microsoft Credentials—four new Microsoft Certifications and six new Microsoft Applied Skills now generally available (GA). Designed to help you keep your skills current in today’s AI-powered workplace, they demonstrate the AI abilities that employers need in not only technical but also business roles. In this roundup, we cover what’s new, what’s changing, and what’s coming up. What’s new: Certifications We’ve introduced four new AI Certifications—all available now—that verify skills for technical and non-technical professionals. These credentials certify your ability to use AI in real-world roles, helping to ensure that you can drive innovation and productivity with this technology. Whether you’re an IT administrator, solution architect, business user, or organizational leader, there’s a new Certification to help boost your career growth. For technical professionals (IT pros, developers, architects) The Microsoft 365 Certified: Copilot and Agent Administration Fundamentals Certification (Exam AB-900) proves that you can configure, secure, and support AI-powered Microsoft 365 environments. This entry-level Certification validates your ability to manage and protect Microsoft 365 Copilot and agent services. The Microsoft Certified: Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect Certification (Exam AB-100) demonstrates your expertise in designing and leading AI-first enterprise architectures. This expert-level Certification shows that you can orchestrate multi-agent AI solutions and integrate Copilot, Foundry Tools, and Dynamics 365 to drive business transformation. For business professionals (managers, analysts, decision-makers) The Microsoft Certified: AI Business Professional Certification (Exam AB-730) validates that you can use generative AI and Copilot to streamline business workflows and improve outcomes without coding. The Microsoft Certified: AI Transformation Leader Certification (Exam AB-731) verifies that you can define the business value of AI, integrate AI solutions by using Copilot, Foundry Tools, and other tools, and drive company-wide AI adoption for transformative impact. Each Certification page on Microsoft Learn offers resources for self-paced and instructor-led training, study guides, and exam prep to help set you up for success. What’s new: Applied Skills Applied Skills are another powerful option for showcasing your expertise. These short, practical assessments let you demonstrate specific real-world skills in an interactive lab environment. They’re now even more relevant to AI-powered roles, since they help prepare you to earn role-based Certifications. We’ve expanded the portfolio with new AI scenarios across technical and business roles, and the new credentials are even faster to earn, most of their lab-based assessments lets you prove specific skills in just 45 minutes. For technical roles (developers, engineers, IT pros) Microsoft Applied Skills: Build a generative AI chat app. Demonstrate that you can create an interactive chat application using generative AI (with tools like Microsoft Foundry) and integrate large language models into real-world apps for better customer or employee experiences. Microsoft Applied Skills: Create an AI agent. Validate your skill in building and configuring agents (for example, in the Copilot ecosystem) and in orchestrating agents to automate tasks and drive business impact. Microsoft Applied Skills: Enhance agents with autonomous capabilities. Prove that you can design and deploy self-governing agents by using Microsoft Copilot Studio, enabling them to perform complex sequences of actions with minimal human intervention and empowering scalable, adaptive solutions. Microsoft Applied Skills: Secure AI solutions in the cloud. Show that you know how to safeguard AI applications in Azure and can implement security and compliance for AI workloads (for example, by using Foundry and Microsoft Defender for Cloud). For business roles Microsoft Applied Skills: Generate reports with AI research agents. Prove that you can use Researcher in Copilot to quickly gather information and produce data-driven reports and insights for smarter business decisions. Microsoft Applied Skills: Streamline business workflows with AI chat. Showcase your ability to use Copilot automation in daily work and to employ AI chat to manage meetings, draft content, and coordinate teamwork more efficiently, improving productivity. Retiring older credentials To keep things current, we’ve retired a few Certifications and Applied Skills. If you’ve already earned these, they’ll remain on the transcript in your Microsoft Learn profile. The following Certifications retired on December 31, 2025: Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (CRM) (Exam MB-910) Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (ERP) (Exam MB-920) The following Applied Skills retired on January 30, 2026: Microsoft Applied Skills: Build an Azure AI Vision solution Microsoft Applied Skills: Deploy and manage Azure Arc–enabled servers Microsoft Applied Skills: Develop an ASP.NET Core web app that consumes an API Microsoft Applied Skills: Implement a data science and machine learning solution with Microsoft Fabric Microsoft Applied Skills: Implement a Lakehouse in Microsoft Fabric Looking ahead These updates are just the beginning. We continuously evolve our credentials portfolio to align with the skills needed for AI-driven jobs, and a new wave of AI-focused Certification updates is scheduled for March 2026 and beyond. Expect even more opportunities to learn and to earn credentials in AI and cloud technologies. We look forward to carrying this momentum forward and to supporting you on your learning journey.Certifications refresh: AI-focused and fundamentals updates
As the age of AI reshapes the business landscape, organizations are embedding AI into every layer of their operations. Professionals, students, entrepreneurs, and others are learning to not only implement business solutions but also to design and integrate AI-powered apps and experiences, orchestrate autonomous agents, and govern ethical AI systems. To support these skill-building needs for learners in all career stages, Microsoft Learn is refreshing our Certification and training offerings with a focus on AI, Microsoft 365, Copilot, and agents. We’re also retiring some Fundamentals Certifications. New AI-focused Certifications and training opportunities Our upcoming Certifications provide today’s innovators with opportunities to thrive in an agent-first, AI-powered tomorrow. Watch for more details on these Certifications in the coming months. A new Fundamentals Certification to validate foundational AI skills and equip learners to confidently navigate and manage core Microsoft 365 services—including Copilot and agents—while building their understanding of identity, security, and compliance essentials in Microsoft Entra and Microsoft Purview. An expert Certification to validate AI-first expertise, including advanced skills in generative AI, multi-agent orchestration, and agentic design by using Microsoft Copilot Studio, Azure AI services, and Dynamics 365. We’re also introducing a series of beginner-level training courses over the next few months designed to help learners in functional roles understand how Copilot, agents, and AI embedded in business systems like Dynamics 365 can streamline their day-to-day work. These AI-focused courses will be released for sales, service, finance, and supply chain roles. Retirement of select Fundamentals Certifications We’re retiring the following Certifications: December 31, 2025 The Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (CRM) Certification (Exam MB-910: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (CRM)). The Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (ERP) Certification (Exam MB-920: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (ERP)). March 31st, 2026 The Microsoft 365 Certified: Fundamentals Certification (Exam MS-900: Microsoft 365 Fundamentals). The following questions and answers can help you determine how these retirements could impact your learning journey: Q. What if I’m studying for Exam MS-900, Exam MB-910, or Exam MB-920? A. If you’re currently preparing for Exam MB-910, or Exam MB-920, we strongly recommend that you take the exam before December 31, 2025, or March 31 st , 2026 in case of Exam MS-900. You won’t be able to take these exams after this date. Q. I’ve already earned one of these Certifications. What happens now? A. If you’ve already earned the Microsoft 365 Certified: Fundamentals, Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (CRM), or Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (ERP) Certification, it will stay on the transcript in your profile on Microsoft Learn. (Note: Fundamentals Certifications don’t expire.) Q. How do these Certification retirements affect partners? A. Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (CRM) (Exam MB-910: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (CRM)), and Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (ERP) (Exam MB-920: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (ERP)) are not included in the requirements for the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program's (MAICPP’s) designations and specializations. Stay future-ready AI is changing the game, and so can you. Stay tuned for upcoming announcements on these new Microsoft Certification offerings to help you do just that. In the meantime, be sure to browse all Microsoft Credentials.New Microsoft Certified: AI Agent Builder Associate Certification
Building agents for real-world workflows takes more than prompts. Show you are ready to design and manage secure, enterprise‑ready agents in Microsoft Copilot Studio with Exam AB-620 (beta). As organizations shift from early AI experiments to deploying agents in real business workflows, the need for builders who can create dependable, production‑ready agents is growing quickly. Teams are looking for professionals who know how to move beyond demos and build agents that are ready for production from day one. To support that need we’re introducing the Microsoft Certified: AI Agent Builder Associate Certification to validate your ability to drive business process transformation using agents built in Microsoft Copilot Studio, integrations with Azure and Microsoft Foundry, multi-agent solution design patterns, workflow automation, and integrations with enterprise systems. To earn this new Microsoft Certification, you need to pass Exam AB-620: Designing and Building Integrated AI Agent Solutions in Copilot Studio, currently in beta. Is this the right Certification for you? By passing Exam AB-620, you earn the Microsoft Certified: AI Agent Builder Associate Certification, demonstrating that you have the skills to design, build, and manage advanced agent solutions in production environments. It proves that you can: Plan and configure agent solutions. Integrate and extend Copilot Studio agents. Test and manage agents. As a candidate for this Certification, you’re a professional developer or advanced builder who builds, extends, and integrates custom agents for enterprise-grade solutions. You typically work as an IT app developer, consultant, or independent software vendor (ISV) partner, building scalable AI solutions for organizations and customers by using Copilot Studio and related platforms. You’re proficient with Power Fx, Microsoft Dataverse, Microsoft Power Platform environments and components, Microsoft 365 Copilot, Foundry, and adaptive cards. You have intermediate knowledge of generative AI concepts, including models, orchestration, retrieval‑augmented generation (RAG), Model Context Protocol (MCP), and Agent2Agent (A2A) protocol. And you have hands-on experience with prompt engineering, REST APIs, and common integration patterns. You have experience configuring agents in Copilot Studio using enterprise knowledge sources, instructions, tools, and topics, and you build and integrate agents that: Connect to MCP servers, APIs, and custom or prebuilt connectors. Automate tasks, including computer‑using actions. Support multi‑agent and advanced orchestration scenarios involving agents built in Foundry, Microsoft Fabric, Copilot Studio, or external frameworks via A2A protocol. Use enterprise knowledge sources, such as ServiceNow, SAP, and similar systems. Perform advanced actions through APIs and external services. You collaborate with business process subject matter experts (SMEs), agent developers, Microsoft 365 and Copilot administrators, Microsoft Power Platform administrators, Foundry administrators, and solution architects. Ready to prove your agent builder skills? Take advantage of the discounted beta exam offer. The first 300 people who take Exam AB-620 (beta) on or before May 12, 2026, can get 80% off. To receive the discount, when you register for the exam and are prompted for payment, use code AB620Sunny26. This is not a private access code. The seats are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. As noted, you must take the exam on or before May 12, 2026. Please note that this discount is not available in Turkey, Pakistan, India, or China. How to prepare Get ready to take Exam AB-620 (beta): Review the Exam AB-620 (beta) page for details and training options, with self-paced training modules being released on a rolling basis starting April 23rd. The Exam AB-620 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-620 (beta) with code AB620Sunny26 on or before May 12, 2026. Beta exam rescoring begins when the exam goes live, with final results released approximately 10 days later. For more details, read Creating high-quality exams: The path from beta to live. Stay tuned for general availability of this Certification in June 2026. Additional information For more AI business solution Certification updates, read our recent blog post, The AI job boom continues: Build the skills that move business forward. Follow our credentials news on The Skills Hub blog as we roll out additional new Certifications in April, May, and June 2026. Join our Microsoft Worldwide Learning SME Group for Credentials on LinkedIn for beta exam alerts and opportunities to help shape future Microsoft learning and assessments. If you want to learn more about Microsoft Credentials, visit AI Skills Navigator.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.New Certification for architects of agentic AI business solutions
Note: All beta seats with the 80% discount code have been claimed. You can still take the exam during the beta period by using any other discount codes you have or by paying the full price. 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.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.
