# Choose a Microsoft AI certification by the work you want to do

I start with the role, then check the current objectives. Fundamentals, Associate and Expert describe different levels of responsibility; they do not create one compulsory exam sequence. Applied Skills provide another way to demonstrate a focused practical task.

My complexity ratings use a 1–5 scale for a learner with ordinary Microsoft 365 experience. They consider prior knowledge, implementation depth, breadth and decision difficulty. They are editorial estimates, not official scores, pass rates or study-duration predictions.

| Exam | Best fit | What it addresses | Complexity |
|---|---|---|---|
| [AB-730](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/resources/study-guides/ab-730) | Business professionals using Copilot | Prompting, context, content, collaboration and prebuilt agents | 2/5 |
| [AB-731](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/resources/study-guides/ab-731) | Managers and transformation leads | Business value, selecting AI opportunities, adoption and responsible rollout | 3/5 |
| [AB-900](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/resources/study-guides/ab-900) | Aspiring Microsoft 365 administrators | Microsoft 365 objects, identity, governance and basic Copilot/agent administration | 2/5 |
| [AI-901](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/resources/study-guides/ai-901) | Early-career AI developers | AI concepts and implementation with Microsoft Foundry | 2/5 |
| [AB-410](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/resources/study-guides/ab-410) | Power Platform app builders | Dataverse, apps, AI features, flows and business logic | 3/5 |
| [AB-620](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/resources/study-guides/ab-620) | Advanced Copilot Studio builders and developers | Agent planning, enterprise integrations, testing and management | 4/5 |
| [AI-103](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/resources/study-guides/ai-103) | Python developers building AI applications | Foundry agents and generative AI, vision, text and extraction | 4/5 |
| [AI-200](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/resources/study-guides/ai-200) | Azure backend developers | Containers, data services, service integration, security and monitoring | 4/5 |
| [AI-300](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/resources/study-guides/ai-300) | ML engineers, data scientists and DevOps practitioners | MLOps and GenAIOps infrastructure, lifecycle, evaluation and observability | 5/5 |
| [AB-100](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/resources/study-guides/ab-100) | Experienced cross-platform solution architects | Business architecture, agent systems, governance and delivery tradeoffs | 5/5 |
| [AB-210](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/resources/study-guides/ab-210) | Dynamics 365 Sales consultants | Sales configuration, AI seller workflows, leads, opportunities and extensions | 3/5 |
| [AB-250](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/resources/study-guides/ab-250) | Contact center engineers | Channels, routing, representatives, AI agents and service analytics | 4/5 |
| [AB-400](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/resources/study-guides/ab-400) | Professional Power Platform developers | Code extensions, custom UX, business logic, integrations and AI | 4/5 |

## Check the route before buying a course

AB-100 has a real credential dependency: the Expert credential requires its exam plus one of the associate certifications listed on the [credential page](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/agentic-ai-business-solutions-architect/). The study guide includes an upcoming 16 November 2026 update. Match the objectives to your exam date.

AI-901 expects basic Python and Azure familiarity. A fundamentals label does not mean every technical starting point is identical. Microsoft lists AI-900, AI-102 and DP-100 among [retired exams](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/support/retired-certification-exams). Check current booking availability and language directly before scheduling.

## Give the study partner a job

My OpenAI Dot is called Tekno. I can use the same study brief in Tekno or Muse, adapting it to the tools available in that session:

> Use the official study guide for my exam date. Map every objective and mark untested areas unknown. Ask one original scenario at a time. Hide the answer until I commit. Explain every option with Microsoft source links. Preserve my first attempt separately from retries.

The downloadable prompt pack adds diagnosis, misconception repair, a five-session study plan and readiness checks. Ask for fresh scenarios after a delay so recognition of a repeated question does not masquerade as understanding.

## What the episode actually demonstrates

I used Muse to create a small HTML study lab for a fictional learner, Sam. In the recorded DLP question, a deliberate Conditional Access mistake produced a source-linked explanation. A correct DLP retry did not erase the original attempt. The untested question remained unknown, and the next-session plan named the weak topics.

That is a demonstration of a feedback loop, not a validated assessment instrument. The reset control did not work in the embedded Muse preview; the original artifact is supplied for inspection, with this limitation. Export/import and persistence across sessions were not tested. The HTML declares browser-local storage, not account synchronization. No tenant was changed.

## Prepare for a first-attempt pass

I use the agent to reduce preparation overhead: organize sources, create practice activities and keep a mistake log. I have not measured a tenfold learning improvement. A first-attempt pass is a goal, not a promise. Use the current Microsoft practice assessment where available, the exam sandbox, unfamiliar scenarios and relevant hands-on tasks to judge readiness. Follow the exam rules during the actual assessment.

Sources checked 29 October 2026 (America/Chicago). These downloads are a dated planning aid. Product interfaces, credentials and objectives can change.

## Download and watch

[Study pack, version 1](https://drive.google.com/file/d/116j8qwvlSIadBezvUMqyAfBdjJavKgxt/view?usp=sharing), hosted on Google Drive.

I walk through the roadmap and the study lab in the video: [Microsoft AI Certification Roadmap: Choose Your Path & Study with AI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwyoDAD19Nk) on YouTube.