AI-901: Azure AI Fundamentals
Exam version: Skills measured as of April 2026 | Passing score: 700/1000 | Duration: 45–60 minutes | Cost: $0 labs
This exam replaced AI-901 (retired June 30, 2026). If you previously studied for AI-901, much of the foundational AI knowledge still applies, but this exam adds significant focus on Microsoft Foundry and implementation scenarios.
Who is this for?
The AI-901 validates foundational knowledge of AI concepts and the ability to implement AI solutions using Azure Foundry. This exam bridges conceptual understanding with hands-on implementation, designed for:
- IT professionals exploring AI workloads and Azure AI services
- Business decision-makers evaluating AI capabilities
- Students interested in AI and cloud careers
- Developers who want to understand Azure AI Foundry
- Anyone preparing for the AI-103 (Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer) path
Skills at a glance
| Domain | Weight | Challenges |
|---|---|---|
| Identify AI concepts and capabilities | 40–45% | 01–09 |
| Implement AI solutions using Azure Foundry | 55–60% | 10–24 |
The biggest change is Domain 2 — over half the exam now tests your ability to use Microsoft Foundry to deploy models, build agents, and implement AI solutions. Basic Python literacy (reading code snippets) is helpful but extensive programming is not required.
Domain breakdown
Domain 1: Identify AI Concepts and Capabilities (40–45%)
| Topic | Key Skills |
|---|---|
| Responsible AI | Fairness, reliability, privacy, inclusiveness, transparency, accountability |
| AI workloads | ML, computer vision, NLP, speech, generative AI |
| Machine learning types | Supervised, unsupervised, reinforcement learning |
| Generative AI concepts | LLMs, prompt engineering basics, GenAI use cases |
| Computer vision | Image classification, object detection, OCR |
| Text analytics | Sentiment analysis, keyword extraction, information extraction |
| Service categories | When to use vision vs. speech vs. language vs. generative AI |
Domain 2: Implement AI Solutions Using Azure Foundry (55–60%)
| Topic | Key Skills |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Foundry basics | Portal navigation, catalog, Foundry SDK |
| Model deployment | Deploy, configure, and use prebuilt/custom models |
| Agents in Foundry | Build, configure, and test multi-turn chat apps and lightweight agents |
| Content Understanding | Information extraction from documents and unstructured data |
| Multimodal apps | Combining vision, audio, and text capabilities |
| Prompt engineering | System vs. user prompts, visual prompts, effective prompt construction |
| Python literacy | Reading Foundry SDK code snippets (no deep programming required) |
| Implementation scenarios | Selecting and configuring the right Azure AI service |
How to use this prep
Each challenge follows a beginner-friendly format:
| Section | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Exam Skills Covered | Official skills this challenge addresses |
| Overview | Beginner-friendly explanation of the AI concept |
| Explore | Step-by-step exploration using Azure Foundry portal |
| Try It | Hands-on experiments with free-tier services |
| Key Concepts | Summary of critical takeaways |
| Knowledge Check | Exam-style multiple choice questions |
| Learn More | Links to study guide and Microsoft Learn |
Prerequisites
- Azure account — Azure Free Account (free tier is sufficient)
- Web browser — Most tasks use Azure Portal and Microsoft Foundry
- No prior AI/ML experience — This exam is foundational
- Basic Python reading — Ability to read simple code snippets (no writing required)
Most challenges cost $0 using Azure AI services free tiers and Foundry exploration. A few Domain 2 challenges may use minimal Azure OpenAI credits (~$1-2 total).
Study resources
| Resource | Link |
|---|---|
| Official Study Guide | AI-901 Study Guide |
| Free Practice Assessment | Practice Questions |
| Exam Sandbox | Try the exam interface |
| Schedule the Exam | Pearson VUE |
Microsoft Learn paths
| Learning Path | Focus |
|---|---|
| Get started with AI on Azure | AI fundamentals and concepts |
| Introduction to Azure AI Foundry | Foundry portal and capabilities |
| Explore generative AI with Azure | GenAI concepts and Azure OpenAI |
| Build AI apps with Azure AI Foundry | Hands-on Foundry implementation |
What changed from AI-901?
| Aspect | AI-901 (retired) | AI-901 (current) |
|---|---|---|
| Domains | 5 conceptual domains | 2 domains (concepts + implementation) |
| Focus | Broad AI concepts | Foundry-first, implementation-heavy |
| Hands-on | Portal exploration only | Foundry deployments and agents |
| Python | Not required | Basic reading helpful |
| GenAI weight | 15-20% | ~30%+ (across both domains) |
| Duration | 45 minutes | 45-60 minutes |
Ready? Start with Challenge 01 to explore fundamental AI concepts and capabilities.