AWS AI Practitioner vs. Azure AI Fundamentals: Which AI Certification Should You Get First?
Artificial intelligence has moved from a specialty skill to something employers expect across IT, cloud, data, and even business roles. If you want proof you understand how AI works in the real world, two entry-level credentials keep coming up: the AWS Certified AI Practitioner and Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals.
Both are designed for beginners. Both cost about $100. Both come from the two biggest cloud platforms in the world. But they are not the same exam, and in 2026 the gap between them got wider. Microsoft retired the old AI-900 exam on June 30, 2026, and replaced it with AI-901, a new version that expects basic Python skills and hands-on work in Microsoft Foundry.
This guide breaks down what each certification covers, how the exams differ, which jobs they support, and how to decide which one to earn first. Spoiler: for many learners, the smartest answer is both.
Quick Answer: Which One Should You Choose?
- Choose AWS Certified AI Practitioner first if you want a concept-focused exam with no coding, you are new to AI, or the employers you are targeting run on Amazon Web Services.
- Choose Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901) first if you already know some Python, you want hands-on experience building simple AI apps, or your target employers use Microsoft 365, Azure, and Copilot.
- Earn both if you want to be competitive across multi-cloud employers. The concepts overlap heavily, so the second exam goes much faster than the first.
What Is the AWS Certified AI Practitioner?
The AWS Certified AI Practitioner (exam code AIF-C01) is Amazon Web Services’ foundational certification for artificial intelligence, machine learning, and generative AI. It validates your understanding of AI concepts and your ability to identify the right AWS services for common AI use cases. It does not require you to build or train models yourself.
What the AIF-C01 Exam Covers
The exam is organized into five content domains:
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| Fundamentals of AI and ML | 20% |
| Fundamentals of Generative AI | 24% |
| Applications of Foundation Models | 28% |
| Guidelines for Responsible AI | 14% |
| Security, Compliance, and Governance for AI Solutions | 14% |
More than half the exam focuses on generative AI and foundation models, including services like Amazon Bedrock and Amazon SageMaker. If you want a refresher on how generative models differ from traditional ones, read our guide to generative AI vs. predictive AI.
AIF-C01 Exam Details
- Questions: 65 (50 scored, 15 unscored)
- Time: 90 minutes
- Passing score: 700 out of 1,000
- Cost: $100 USD
- Coding required: No
- Validity: 3 years
Learn more about AWS certification training at CIAT.
What Is Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901)?
Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals validates foundational knowledge of AI concepts and the ability to use Azure AI services to build simple AI solutions. The certification name has not changed, but the exam behind it has.
AI-900 vs. AI-901: What Changed in 2026
If you have been researching this certification, you have probably seen the exam code AI-900. Microsoft retired AI-900 on June 30, 2026. To earn Azure AI Fundamentals today, you take AI-901.
The change is bigger than a new number:
- AI-900 was conceptual. It focused on describing AI workloads and required no coding.
- AI-901 is hands-on. Microsoft now expects candidates to know basic Python syntax and to be familiar with Azure resources, REST APIs, SDKs, and command-line tools.
- Microsoft Foundry is central. The largest part of the exam tests whether you can implement AI solutions using Microsoft Foundry, Microsoft’s platform for building generative AI apps and agents.
If you already earned Azure AI Fundamentals by passing AI-900, you keep it. Microsoft fundamentals certifications do not expire, and the certification has not been retired.
What the AI-901 Exam Covers
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| Identify AI concepts and capabilities | 40% to 45% |
| Implement AI solutions by using Microsoft Foundry | 55% to 60% |
AI-901 Exam Details
- Cost: $99 USD in the United States (varies by country)
- Passing score: 700 out of 1,000
- Coding expected: Basic Python syntax and programming concepts
- Validity: Does not expire
- Question count and time: Microsoft does not publish a fixed number; confirm when you schedule
New to Python? Our guide on how long it takes to learn Python lays out a realistic timeline, and Python for AI explains why it is the language AI runs on.
AWS AI Practitioner vs. Azure AI Fundamentals: Side-by-Side Comparison
| Factor | AWS Certified AI Practitioner | Azure AI Fundamentals |
|---|---|---|
| Current exam code | AIF-C01 | AI-901 (replaced AI-900) |
| Level | Foundational | Fundamentals |
| Exam cost | $100 USD | $99 USD (US) |
| Exam length | 65 questions, 90 minutes | Not published; confirm at scheduling |
| Passing score | 700/1,000 | 700/1,000 |
| Coding required | No | Basic Python expected |
| Main focus | AI, ML, and generative AI concepts plus AWS services | AI concepts plus hands-on builds in Microsoft Foundry |
| Key platforms | Amazon Bedrock, Amazon SageMaker | Microsoft Foundry, Azure AI services |
| Validity | 3 years | Does not expire |
| Best for | Beginners, business and technical roles, AWS shops | Aspiring AI builders, Python learners, Microsoft shops |
Key Differences That Should Drive Your Decision
1. Coding Comfort
This is now the biggest difference. The AWS exam tests whether you understand AI and can pick the right service. AI-901 tests whether you can actually build something simple, which means reading Python code examples that call AI models and services. If you have never written code, AWS is the gentler starting point.
2. The Cloud Your Target Employers Use
Look at job postings in your area. Companies running on AWS will value AWS credentials, and Microsoft-centered organizations will value Azure. Many larger employers use both. If you are not sure which way your career is headed, our guide to how to become a cloud engineer covers both platforms.
3. Concepts vs. Hands-On Building
AWS AI Practitioner rewards breadth: knowing what foundation models are, how prompt engineering works, and how to use AI responsibly. AI-901 rewards depth on one platform: deploying models, building lightweight apps, and working with agents in Foundry. Neither is “better.” They prove different things.
4. Long-Term Value
The AWS certification is valid for three years, so you will need to recertify. Azure AI Fundamentals does not expire. AI tools change fast, and employers care most about current skills, so plan to keep learning either way.
Who Should Earn Each Certification?
AWS Certified AI Practitioner Is a Strong Fit If You Are:
- A career changer exploring AI without a coding background
- A business analyst, project manager, or marketer who works alongside AI teams
- An IT or cloud professional in an AWS environment
- Someone who wants a fast, concept-focused first AI credential
Azure AI Fundamentals Is a Strong Fit If You Are:
- A developer or student who already knows some Python
- Someone aiming for an AI engineer, AI developer, or machine learning path
- An IT professional in a Microsoft 365 or Azure environment
- A learner who wants a credential that proves you can build, not just describe
Jobs These AI Certifications Support
Foundational AI certifications alone won’t land you an AI engineer role. What they do is prove baseline knowledge, help your resume clear screening filters, and give you a structured starting point toward roles like these:
| Role | Average Salary (U.S.) |
|---|---|
| AI Engineer I | $92,672 |
| Machine Learning Engineer I | $92,690 |
| Cloud Engineer I | $81,360 |
| Cloud Engineer | $107,197 |
Salary data referenced in this post is sourced from Salary.com.
Other roles where these credentials add value include AI developer, AI data analyst, AI/ML support engineer, AI technology consultant, and AI product assistant. To explore the full landscape, see 6 AI jobs to consider, our guide on how to become an AI engineer, and our comparison of machine learning vs. data science careers.
Interested in protecting AI systems rather than building them? Compare Security+ vs. SecAI+ for the AI security path.
Why Many Learners Earn Both
The two exams share a large core of material: machine learning basics, generative AI, foundation models, and responsible AI principles. Once you pass one, much of your study for the second is learning a new platform’s tools rather than new concepts.
Holding both tells employers you are not locked into one ecosystem. That matters because many organizations run workloads on more than one cloud, and AI projects often pull services from both.
A practical order for most beginners:
- Learn Python fundamentals.
- Earn AWS Certified AI Practitioner to lock in AI and generative AI concepts.
- Earn Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901) to prove you can build with those concepts.
- Build a small portfolio project on each platform.
For where these credentials fit in a bigger plan, see our IT certification roadmap and why industry certifications matter in tech careers.
How to Prepare for Each Exam
Preparing for AWS Certified AI Practitioner
- Study the official AIF-C01 exam guide and its five domains.
- Spend the most time on generative AI and foundation models, which make up over half the exam.
- Get familiar with Amazon Bedrock and Amazon SageMaker through the AWS Free Tier.
- Take timed practice exams to build pacing for 65 questions in 90 minutes.
Preparing for Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901)
- Use the official AI-901 study guide, not older AI-900 materials. Anything that does not mention Microsoft Foundry is out of date.
- Brush up on Python syntax so you can read code samples confidently.
- Practice hands-on in the Microsoft Foundry portal; implementation makes up 55% to 60% of the exam.
- Take Microsoft’s free practice assessment before booking.
Need a place to practice? Our list of free and paid tools every IT student should know covers the AWS Free Tier and Azure for Students.
Earn Both Certifications in CIAT’s AI and Machine Learning Program
CIAT’s Certificate in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning prepares you for both AWS Certified AI Practitioner and Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals in a single program.
- 35 weeks, 7 courses, 28 credits
- Courses include Python Fundamentals, Python for Data Science, Predictive AI, Natural Language Processing, Generative AI, and Azure AI Fundamentals
- Live online instruction with hands-on, project-based work
- Exam vouchers included in tuition, plus CIAT’s Unlimited Certification Exam Policy for eligible students (CISSP and EC-Council CEH excluded)
- Career services to help you turn certifications into interviews
The certificate is designed for learners with at least two years of IT experience or an equivalent degree. Starting from scratch? The Applied Bachelor’s Degree in Software Development builds your programming foundation and includes dedicated AI and machine learning courses.
Already working in cloud? Pair your AI credential with the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals and Administrator Bootcamp.
Paying for your program: CIAT offers scholarships and flexible financing, federal grants and loans for those who qualify, and the CIAT Workforce Grant for students whose employers offer tuition assistance.
Start Your AI Career With CIAT
The AI job market rewards people who can prove what they know. With CIAT’s Certificate in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, you prepare for both AWS Certified AI Practitioner and Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals, with exam vouchers included and instructors who work in the field.
Frequently Asked Questions
For most beginners, AWS Certified AI Practitioner is easier because it requires no coding. Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901) now expects basic Python knowledge and hands-on work in Microsoft Foundry, which adds a practical layer the AWS exam does not have.
No. Microsoft retired the AI-900 exam on June 30, 2026. The Azure AI Fundamentals certification continues, but you now earn it by passing AI-901. If you passed AI-900 before it retired, your certification is still valid.
Not for AWS Certified AI Practitioner. For Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901), Microsoft expects you to understand Python syntax and programming techniques well enough to follow code that calls AI models and services.
The AWS Certified AI Practitioner exam costs $100 USD. The Azure AI Fundamentals exam costs $99 USD in the United States, with pricing that varies by country. At CIAT, exam vouchers for both are included in the AI and Machine Learning certificate tuition.
The AWS Certified AI Practitioner is valid for three years. Microsoft fundamentals certifications, including Azure AI Fundamentals, do not expire.
An entry-level AI certification strengthens your resume, but most AI and cloud roles also look for hands-on skills, programming ability, and project experience. Combining certifications with a structured program and a portfolio is the most reliable path into AI roles.
If you can, yes. The concepts overlap, so the second exam takes far less study than the first, and holding both shows employers you can work across AWS and Microsoft environments.
Both cover responsible AI and governance basics, but neither is a security certification. If your goal is protecting AI systems, look at CompTIA SecAI+ after building a Security+ foundation.