{"id":100672,"date":"2026-03-24T16:26:28","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T10:56:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/?p=100672"},"modified":"2026-04-08T14:17:58","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T08:47:58","slug":"microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications\/","title":{"rendered":"Microsoft&#8217;s Next-Generation AI Certifications 2026 &#8211; Q&amp;A"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_76 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #ea7e02;color:#ea7e02\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #ea7e02;color:#ea7e02\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications\/#Microsofts_Next-Generation_AI_Certifications_2026_%E2%80%93_Q_A\" >Microsoft&#8217;s Next-Generation AI Certifications 2026 &#8211; Q&amp;A<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications\/#Which_Microsoft_Certifications_Are_Retiring_in_2026\" >Which Microsoft Certifications Are Retiring in 2026?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications\/#What_Are_Microsofts_New_AI_Certifications_in_2026\" >What Are Microsoft\u2019s New AI Certifications in 2026?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications\/#1_MLOps_Engineer_Associate_Exam_AI-300\" >1. MLOps Engineer Associate (Exam AI-300)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications\/#2_Azure_Databricks_Data_Engineer_Associate_Exam_DP-750\" >2. Azure Databricks Data Engineer Associate (Exam DP-750)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications\/#3_SQL_AI_Developer_Associate_Exam_DP-800\" >3. SQL AI Developer Associate (Exam DP-800)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications\/#4_Azure_AI_Fundamentals_Exam_AI-901New_Version\" >4. Azure AI Fundamentals (Exam AI-901)(New Version)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications\/#5_Azure_AI_App_and_Agent_Developer_Associate_Exam_AI-103\" >5. Azure AI App and Agent Developer Associate (Exam AI-103)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications\/#6_Cybersecurity_Business_Professional_Exam_SC-730\" >6. Cybersecurity Business Professional (Exam SC-730)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications\/#7_Azure_AI_Cloud_Developer_Associate_Exam_AI-200\" >7. Azure AI Cloud Developer Associate (Exam AI-200)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications\/#8_Cloud_and_AI_Security_Engineer_Associate_Exam_SC-500\" >8. Cloud and AI Security Engineer Associate (Exam SC-500)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications\/#9_Windows_Server_Hybrid_Administrator_Exam_AZ-802\" >9. Windows Server Hybrid Administrator (Exam AZ-802)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications\/#Why_Is_Microsoft_Shifting_to_AI-Focused_Certifications\" >Why Is Microsoft Shifting to AI-Focused Certifications?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications\/#The_Questions_Everyone_Is_Asking_About_the_New_Microsoft_Certifications\" >The Questions Everyone Is Asking About the New Microsoft Certifications<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications\/#1_Should_I_still_take_a_retiring_exam_if_Ive_already_started_studying_for_it\" >1. Should I still take a retiring exam if I&#8217;ve already started studying for it?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications\/#2_Ive_already_earned_a_certification_that_is_now_retiring_What_happens_to_it\" >2. I&#8217;ve already earned a certification that is now retiring. What happens to it?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications\/#3_If_I_already_hold_AI-900_do_I_need_to_upgrade_to_AI-901\" >3. If I already hold AI-900, do I need to upgrade to AI-901?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications\/#4_Im_preparing_for_a_retiring_exam_but_havent_registered_yet_What_should_I_do\" >4. I&#8217;m preparing for a retiring exam but haven&#8217;t registered yet. What should I do?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications\/#5_When_does_registration_close_for_retiring_exams\" >5. When does registration close for retiring exams?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications\/#6_I_hold_several_of_the_retiring_certifications_Do_they_still_hold_value\" >6. I hold several of the retiring certifications. Do they still hold value?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications\/#When_Will_the_New_Microsoft_AI_Certifications_Be_Available\" >When Will the New Microsoft AI Certifications Be Available?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications\/#Here_is_a_quick_look_at_the_full_Microsoft_AI_exams_list_with_their_expected_timelines\" >Here is a quick look at the full Microsoft AI exams list with their expected timelines:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/microsofts-next-generation-ai-certifications\/#Final_Thoughts\" >Final Thoughts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Microsofts_Next-Generation_AI_Certifications_2026_%E2%80%93_Q_A\"><\/span><b>Microsoft&#8217;s Next-Generation AI Certifications 2026 &#8211; Q&amp;A<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<!--[if lt IE 9]><script>document.createElement('audio');<\/script><![endif]-->\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-100672-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Microsoft_s_2026_AI_certification_overhaul.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Microsoft_s_2026_AI_certification_overhaul.mp3\">https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Microsoft_s_2026_AI_certification_overhaul.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Microsoft announced on <strong>March 6, 2026<\/strong> that their existing <strong>7 certifications are retiring<\/strong> and<strong> 9 new AI-focused certifications<\/strong> are being introduced as part of a major update to its certification roadmap.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This is a major shift in Microsoft&#8217;s certification roadmap. It is embedding AI directly into specific technical roles across Azure <strong>Databricks, Cybersecurity, SQL, MLOps, GenAIOps<\/strong>, and <strong>hybrid Cloud + AI<\/strong> tracks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">By doing so, Microsoft signals to the industry that it is leading the transition towards AI, and that AI competency is now a baseline expectation built into every role.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In this blog, we walk you through Microsoft\u2019s new certifications, the ones set for retirement, and what replaces them. More importantly, we aim to clear the confusion around these changes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">So if you are asking,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">What will happen to my AZ-204 I earned last month? Or <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Should I still take my scheduled AI-900 exam? Or <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Where can I study for the new certifications?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Continue reading because all your questions are answered.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Which_Microsoft_Certifications_Are_Retiring_in_2026\"><\/span><b>Which Microsoft Certifications Are Retiring in 2026?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Microsoft is retiring<\/span><b> 7 certifications<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> between <\/span><b>June <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">and<\/span><b> September 2026<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, including <\/span><b>AZ-204, AZ-500, AI-900, AI-102, DP-100, AZ-800<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, and <\/span><b>AZ-801<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Each retiring certification has a designated replacement.<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><b>Retiring Certification<\/b><\/th>\n<th><b>Retires On<\/b><\/th>\n<th><b>New Replacement<\/b><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>Jun 1, 2026<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">MLOps Engineer Associate (AI-300)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-900)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>Jun 30, 2026<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Azure AI Fundamentals &#8211; New Version (AI-901)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>Jun 30, 2026<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Azure AI App and Agent Developer Associate (AI-103)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>Jul 31, 2026<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Azure AI Cloud Developer Associate (AI-200)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>Aug 31, 2026<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Cloud and AI Security Engineer Associate (SC-500)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Windows Server Hybrid Admin (AZ-800)<\/span><b>**<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Sep 2026 *<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Windows Server Hybrid Administrator (AZ-802)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Windows Server Hybrid Admin (AZ-801)<\/span><b>**<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Sep 2026 *<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Windows Server Hybrid Administrator (AZ-802)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><i>*<\/i><strong><i>Retiring date is yet to be released<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">** <strong>AZ-800<\/strong> and <strong>AZ-801<\/strong> are consolidated into <strong>AZ-802<\/strong>. If you already hold either of these certificates, you do not need to retake the full exam. You can renew it via the AZ-802 renewal assessment.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><b>Note: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Your earned certifications are not invalidated. They remain valid on your transcript until their expiration date. You can also renew your earned certifications before the retirement date. Once retired, you cannot renew them.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Are_Microsofts_New_AI_Certifications_in_2026\"><\/span><b>What Are Microsoft\u2019s New AI Certifications in 2026?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Microsoft is introducing<strong> 9 new AI-focused certifications<\/strong> in <strong>2026<\/strong>, including<strong> AI-300, AI-103, AI-200, AI-901, DP-750, DP-800, SC-500, SC-730<\/strong>, and<strong> AZ-802<\/strong>. Six are replacements for retiring certifications and three are entirely new. All are focused on generative AI, agentic architectures, and AI-powered cloud solutions.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_100749\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-100749\" style=\"width: 2560px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-100749 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/after-heading-scaled.webp\" alt=\"New Microsoft Certification exams Beta Timeline\" width=\"2560\" height=\"2174\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/after-heading-scaled.webp 2560w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/after-heading-300x255.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/after-heading-1024x870.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/after-heading-768x652.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/after-heading-1536x1305.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/after-heading-2048x1739.webp 2048w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/after-heading-150x127.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-100749\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">New Microsoft Certification exams Beta Timeline<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><b>The upcoming Microsoft Certifications are as follows:<\/b><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_MLOps_Engineer_Associate_Exam_AI-300\"><\/span><b>1. MLOps Engineer Associate (Exam AI-300)<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This certification is for professionals who deploy and manage AI and machine learning models in real working environments. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><b>Roles impacted:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> ML Engineers, Cloud Engineers, AI Operations, MLOps and GenAIOps Professionals <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>Beta &amp; Training<\/strong>: March 2026 | Live: May 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Azure_Databricks_Data_Engineer_Associate_Exam_DP-750\"><\/span><b>2. Azure Databricks Data Engineer Associate<\/b> <b>(Exam DP-750)<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you build and manage data pipelines that feed into AI systems, this certification validates exactly what you do. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><b>Roles impacted: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Data Engineers, Data Architects, and Analytics Engineers, Data Scientists. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>Beta &amp; Training<\/strong>: March 2026 | Live: May 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_SQL_AI_Developer_Associate_Exam_DP-800\"><\/span><b>3. SQL AI Developer Associate (Exam DP-800)<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This certification covers how to bring AI into databases and build smarter applications.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><b>Roles impacted:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Database Developers, Backend Developers, and Data Engineers. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>Beta &amp; Training<\/strong>: March 2026 | Live: May 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Azure_AI_Fundamentals_Exam_AI-901New_Version\"><\/span><b>4. Azure AI Fundamentals (Exam AI-901)(New Version)<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This new refreshed version of the retiring AI-900, covers building basic AI apps and agents on Microsoft&#8217;s platforms. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><b>Roles impacted:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Students, Beginners, and anyone starting their AI journey <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>Training<\/strong>: March 2026 | Beta: April 2026 | Live: June 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Azure_AI_App_and_Agent_Developer_Associate_Exam_AI-103\"><\/span><b>5. Azure AI App and Agent Developer Associate<\/b> <b>(Exam AI-103)<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This one is for developers who want to build smart AI applications that think, plan and work across multiple agents.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><b>Roles impacted:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> AI Developers, Software Engineers, and Solution Architects\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>Training:<\/strong> March 2026 | Beta: April 2026 | Live: June 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Cybersecurity_Business_Professional_Exam_SC-730\"><\/span><b>6. Cybersecurity Business Professional<\/b> <b>(Exam SC-730)<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This is not exclusively for a security engineer. It is designed for professionals who make security-related decisions and need to ensure their organisation stays protected while adopting AI. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><b>Roles impacted:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Business Analysts, IT Managers, and Technology Decision Makers <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>Beta:<\/strong> April 2026 |<strong> Training:<\/strong> May 2026 | <strong>Live<\/strong>: July 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Azure_AI_Cloud_Developer_Associate_Exam_AI-200\"><\/span><b>7. Azure AI Cloud Developer Associate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> (<\/span><b>Exam AI-200)<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Building AI solutions on Azure&#8217;s cloud infrastructure is what this certification is all about. It covers containerised applications, serverless functions, databases and monitoring systems. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><b>Roles impacted: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Cloud Developers, Azure Engineers, and Full Stack Developers <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>Beta &amp; Training<\/strong>: April 2026 | Live: July 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_Cloud_and_AI_Security_Engineer_Associate_Exam_SC-500\"><\/span><b>8. Cloud and AI Security Engineer Associate (Exam SC-500)<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As AI becomes part of enterprise infrastructure, securing it becomes a specialised skill. This certification validates your ability to design and implement secure environments built specifically for AI solutions. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><b>Roles impacted:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Security Engineers, Cloud Security Architects, Information Security Engineers and AI Infrastructure Engineers. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>Beta:<\/strong> May 2026 | <strong>Training &amp; Live<\/strong>: July 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"9_Windows_Server_Hybrid_Administrator_Exam_AZ-802\"><\/span><b>9. Windows Server Hybrid Administrator (Exam AZ-802)<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This certification brings AZ-800 and AZ-801 into one, covering the full scope of hybrid server administration. So if you manage servers across both Azure and on-premises environments, this is for you.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><b>Roles impacted: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Windows Server Engineers, System Administrators, Infrastructure Engineers, and Hybrid Cloud Engineers <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>Beta<\/strong>: June 2026 | <strong>Training &amp; Live<\/strong>: August 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Is_Microsoft_Shifting_to_AI-Focused_Certifications\"><\/span><b>Why Is Microsoft Shifting to AI-Focused Certifications?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">According to the<\/span> <a title=\"World Economic Forum\" href=\"https:\/\/www.weforum.org\/publications\/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025\/digest\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>World Economic Forum<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, AI and big data top the list of fastest-growing skills in 2026. AI is becoming a skill that sits across every other technology (cloud, security, data, development), boosting their individual capability. You and I, we all need it. So it cannot be ignored as a standalone technology that only a handful of specialists work with.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This is exactly why Microsoft is making the cloud to AI transition in its certification roadmap. Because the new benchmark for knowing the cloud is knowing how AI fits into it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Microsoft has done this before. Office 365 became Microsoft 365, and then Microsoft 365 Copilot App, each version with AI added on top of what already existed. The new generative AI certifications follow the same logic. The old certifications were built around core services. The new ones are about integrating AI into those same core services to match where the technology actually is today.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">So, in short, if you want the answer, Microsoft certifications have always been a hiring standard. If they don&#8217;t reflect what employers are hiring for, they stop being useful.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Questions_Everyone_Is_Asking_About_the_New_Microsoft_Certifications\"><\/span><b>The Questions Everyone Is Asking About the New Microsoft Certifications<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Should_I_still_take_a_retiring_exam_if_Ive_already_started_studying_for_it\"><\/span><b>1. Should I still take a retiring exam if I&#8217;ve already started studying for it?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>It depends on your perspective, your organisational demand and where you are in your preparation:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Close to finishing\u2192 finish it and take the exam before the retirement date.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Just starting out\u2192 wait for the new AI cert betas; being an early adopter carries weight in hiring.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Halfway through (e.g., midway through AZ-500)\u2192 consider completing it before retirement, as the SC-500 replacement training won&#8217;t be available until July 2026.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">AI-900 is a Fundamentals certification with lifetime validity. If you are still planning to take it, do so before June 30, 2026.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Ive_already_earned_a_certification_that_is_now_retiring_What_happens_to_it\"><\/span><b>2. I&#8217;ve already earned a certification that is now retiring. What happens to it?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">First, an important clarification: exams are not the same as certifications. Only the exams are retiring. Your credential remains valid on your transcript until it expires. Retirement does not revoke or invalidate certifications that were already earned. If your certification is eligible for renewal, renew it before the retirement date to keep it active for another year.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>One exception:<\/strong> Fundamentals certifications (here AI-900) do not require renewal. They are valid for lifetime.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_If_I_already_hold_AI-900_do_I_need_to_upgrade_to_AI-901\"><\/span><b>3. If I already hold AI-900, do I need to upgrade to AI-901?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">AI-900 has lifetime validity and upgrading to AI-901 is entirely your choice.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">AI-900 teaches you to understand AI. AI-901 goes a step further and covers how to build AI applications and agents using Microsoft Foundry. So if you want to move from understanding AI to building with it, AI-901 is the natural next step.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Im_preparing_for_a_retiring_exam_but_havent_registered_yet_What_should_I_do\"><\/span><b><\/b><b>4. I&#8217;m preparing for a retiring exam but haven&#8217;t registered yet. What should I do?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The strong recommendation is to shift your preparation to the replacement exam instead.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>If you have already registered:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You may continue preparing and take the exam while it is still available.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">After the exam retires, you will not be able to retake it if you do not pass, and it cannot be renewed.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_When_does_registration_close_for_retiring_exams\"><\/span><b>5. When does registration close for retiring exams?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Exam registration closes on the same day the exam retires. If appointment slots are still available on that day, you can still register. But it is safer to register a week before the retirement date.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_I_hold_several_of_the_retiring_certifications_Do_they_still_hold_value\"><\/span><b>6. I hold several of the retiring certifications. Do they still hold value?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For most retiring certifications, taking the replacement exam is required to earn the new credential. One exception: if you have already earned the Windows Server Hybrid Administrator via <strong>AZ-800 <\/strong>or<strong> AZ-801<\/strong>, you only need to complete the <strong>AZ-802<\/strong> renewal assessment, not the full exam.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">That said, if the certification is role based or service based, many organisations still recognise and value them. For example, <strong>DP-203 Azure Data Engineer<\/strong> has already been retired, yet many organisations continue to value it because they need people with technical knowledge in Azure data services.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_Will_the_New_Microsoft_AI_Certifications_Be_Available\"><\/span><b>When Will the New Microsoft AI Certifications Be Available?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For anyone building their AI career path on Microsoft, the new Azure AI certification path being introduced is the clearest signal of where to focus.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Currently Microsoft has released the official study materials only for AI-300, DP-750, and DP-800. For early candidates, there is also a beta exam offer with discount. You can find the details in their official page &#8211; <\/span><a title=\"AI-300 Beta Exam\" href=\"https:\/\/techcommunity.microsoft.com\/blog\/skills-hub-blog\/new-certification-for-machine-learning-operations-mlops-engineers\/4494111\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>AI-300 Beta Exam<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> |<\/span><a title=\"DP-750 Beta Exam\" href=\"https:\/\/techcommunity.microsoft.com\/blog\/skills-hub-blog\/new-microsoft-certified-azure-databricks-data-engineer-associate-certification\/4494114\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <b>DP-750 Beta Exam<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> | <\/span><a title=\"DP-800 Beta Exam\" href=\"https:\/\/techcommunity.microsoft.com\/blog\/skills-hub-blog\/new-microsoft-certified-sql-ai-developer-associate-certification\/4494113\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>DP-800 Beta Exam<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>Note: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Beta access and offers are not available for candidates in<strong> India, China, Turkey, and Pakistan.<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For the remaining certifications, study materials are expected in subsequent months based on their release calendar.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Here_is_a_quick_look_at_the_full_Microsoft_AI_exams_list_with_their_expected_timelines\"><\/span><b>Here is a quick look at the full Microsoft AI exams list with their expected timelines:<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: center\"><b>Exam<\/b><\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: center\"><b>Certification<\/b><\/th>\n<th>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><b>Timeline<\/b><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>AI-300<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">MLOps Engineer Associate<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Beta\/Training: Mar 2026 | Live: May 2026<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>DP-750<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Azure Databricks Data Engineer Associate<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Beta\/Training: Mar 2026 | Live: May 2026<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>DP-800<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">SQL AI Developer Associate<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Beta\/Training: Mar 2026 | Live: May 2026<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>AI-901<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Azure AI Fundamentals (New Version)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Training: Mar 2026 | Beta: Apr 2026 | Live: Jun 2026<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>AI-103<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Azure AI App and Agent Developer Associate<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Training: Mar 2026 | Beta: Apr 2026 | Live: Jun 2026<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>SC-730<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Cybersecurity Business Professional<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Beta: Apr 2026 | Training: May 2026 | Live: Jul 2026\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>AI-200<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Azure AI Cloud Developer Associate<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Beta\/Training: Apr 2026 | Live: Jul 2026<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>SC-500<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Cloud and AI Security Engineer Associate<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Beta: May 2026 | Training &amp; Live: Jul 2026<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>AZ-802<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Windows Server Hybrid Administrator<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Beta: Jun 2026 | Training &amp; Live: Aug 2026<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Thoughts\"><\/span><b>Final Thoughts<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This certification update is Microsoft&#8217;s way of making sure that when you walk into an interview, your credentials reflect the world as it is today, not as it was five years ago.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">And if you are someone who is uncomfortable with this change, take a breath. You have come this far and adapted to every change before. If you already hold a retiring certification, you are not starting from scratch. The new certifications are building on what you already know.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When you are ready to start preparing, we have got you covered at <\/span><a title=\"Whizlabs\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-schema-attribute=\"about mentions\"><b>Whizlabs<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. We are already working on courses for the new Microsoft Azure AI certifications. Stay tuned. In the meantime, check out our existing Azure courses and keep your preparation going.<\/span><\/p>\n<pre><strong><a title=\"Read Microsoft\u2019s official announcement here\" href=\"https:\/\/techcommunity.microsoft.com\/blog\/skills-hub-blog\/the-ai-job-boom-is-here-are-you-ready-to-showcase-your-skills\/4494128\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Microsoft\u2019s official announcement here<\/a><\/strong><\/pre>\n<blockquote><p>Still have questions? Drop us an email at <strong>info@whizlabs.com<\/strong>. We will sort it out.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Microsoft&#8217;s Next-Generation AI Certifications 2026 &#8211; Q&amp;A Microsoft announced on March 6, 2026 that their existing 7 certifications are retiring and 9 new AI-focused certifications are being introduced as part of a major update to its certification roadmap.\u00a0 This is a major shift in Microsoft&#8217;s certification roadmap. It is embedding AI directly into specific technical roles across Azure Databricks, Cybersecurity, SQL, MLOps, GenAIOps, and hybrid Cloud + AI tracks.\u00a0 By doing so, Microsoft signals to the industry that it is leading the transition towards AI, and that AI competency is now a baseline expectation built into every role. In this [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":448,"featured_media":100680,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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Vhardhni R","author_link":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/author\/hamsha-vhardhni-r\/"},"uagb_comment_info":6,"uagb_excerpt":"Microsoft&#8217;s Next-Generation AI Certifications 2026 &#8211; Q&amp;A Microsoft announced on March 6, 2026 that their existing 7 certifications are retiring and 9 new AI-focused certifications are being introduced as part of a major update to its certification roadmap.\u00a0 This is a major shift in Microsoft&#8217;s certification roadmap. It is embedding AI directly into specific technical&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100672","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/448"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=100672"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100672\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":100750,"href":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100672\/revisions\/100750"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/100680"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=100672"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=100672"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=100672"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}