All about the Microsoft Certified Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-900)

Want to demonstrate your knowledge of machine learning and AI concepts in Azure? The Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals certification and associated exam (AI-900) is designed to do just that. In this article, I'll cover frequently asked questions about the AI-900, so you can decide whether or not it's a fit for you, and be prepared for what to expect.

How hard is the AI-900 exam?

In my experience, the AI-900 is one of the easier fundamentals exams. It's  intended for anyone with a technical or non-technical background. The great news is that software engineering or data science  experience is not required.

Going in, tou’ll want to make sure you understand Machine Learning, Microsoft’s principles of responsible AI, how to use generative AI, using AI to detect objects and classify images, and how to use AI to understand language.

What are the requirements for the AI-900?

There are no mandatory exam requirements for the AI-900 exam. But, it wouldn’t hurt to take a look at the AZ-900 certification exam to help you build a foundation for Azure. In addition, it would be a beneficial to have some familiarity with Azure and the Azure portal.

Does the AI-900 exam have labs?

While I can’t be 100% sure what you will see on the AI-900 exam, you should not see a lab on the exam. For AI-900, you are mostly likely to see the following question types:

Multiple choice: Where there are multiple possible answers and only one answer is correct

Multiple choice, multiple select: Where there are multiple possible answers and one or more answers are correct

Drag and drop: Where you have movable options on the left side of the screen that you must correctly place on the right side of the screen, some or all of the options on the left may be required

Built list reorder: Where you move options on the left side of the screen to the right side of the screen and place them in the correct order, some or all of the options on the left may be required

Hot Area: Where you must select one or more clickable areas to mark the correct answer or answers

Case Study: Where you must review requirements and existing environments and answer a series of questions based on the case study

And finally, you may have sections of the exam where you cannot return to the previous question or section. The sections will sometimes have one question repeated with different potential solutions. Sometimes only one of the answers will be the correct answer.

Is the AI-900 a good certification? 

AI-900 is a great certification exam as it will show that you are well versed in the basics of AI on Microsoft Azure. It will provide you with a solid foundation for a career in AI or data.

How much does the AI-900 exam cost to take? 

The AI-900 certification exam is currently $99 USD and the price is subject to change and local currency conversion.You may be entitled to a discount for a number of reasons, including if your employer is part of the Enterprise Skills Initiative, check with your employer and/or Microsoft Representative for more information. Academic pricing is also available for students.

What sort of jobs can I get with the AI-900?

The AI-900 will help you demonstrate proficiency for roles like:

• Junior AI/ML Software Developer

• Cloud Support Associate 

• Junior Data Analyst

• Junior AI Engineer

How long is the AI-900 valid for?

Once you pass the exam, the certification you earn doesn’t expire! I would still highly recommend to keep your AI skills fresh and stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the AI world.

What is the structure of the AI-900 exam?

The AI-900 exam will likely be broken up into multiple sections. You will likely see a section with a variety of question types and one or more sections with questions where you cannot return to the previous question or section.

What is the pass score for the AI-900?

To pass the exam, you need to achieve a score of at least 700 out of a possible 1000 points. It’s important to know that 700/1000 isn’t technically 70%. The passing score is calculated based on your ability to answer the questions and the difficulty of the questions. 

It’s also important to point out that points are never deducted. You should answer every question, even if you need to guess.

Can I take the AI-900 multiple times?

If you don’t pass the exam, you can take the exam again. You only need to wait 24 hours before having a second go, if you need to have another go though, you will need to wait 14 days, and may be limited to 5 attempts in a calendar year.

How many questions are in the AI-900 exam?

Microsoft doesn’t officially state exactly how many questions you will get on your exam, but you can expect it to be somewhere between 40 and 60. I would expect to see about 55 questions on your exam.

What are the key pointers to remember for the AI-900 exam?

Some of the key items to remember for the exam include:

• Microsoft's responsible AI principles including principles like fairness, inclusion, transparency, etc.

• Machine learning types and when to use regression over classification or understanding that grouping similar items together by their features only is an example of clustering.

• Keep in mind the various uses for AI such as using Azure Speech for speech synthesis or Azure Translation to translate text documents.

• Being responsible with generative AI and understanding how to identify, measure, and mitigate threats and harms that can come with generative AI.

How do I prepare for the AI-900 exam?

I would recommend a mix of theoretical and practical experience to prepare for the AI-900 exam. I recommend starting with the AI-900 learning path here on Pluralsight where I tackle each section of the exam step by step.

By taking the learning path, you will get the chance to learn new skills in video lessons and how those new skills are applied in walkthroughs and hands-on labs. And finally, you will get a chance to review and check your learning outcomes with quizzes and practice exams.