Marco Grimaldi

Marco Grimaldi

L2 Managed Services Engineer @ NTT DATA · Language Teacher

🏅 Cert Review: AI-900 – Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals

5 minute read

🔐 AI-900 Overview: Azure AI Fundamentals

❗ Just a heads-up: This review reflects my personal experience only. It is not sponsored or endorsed in any way.

ℹ️ Introduction

It was December 2022 when I obtained my AI-900 certification which marked the fourth milestone in my Microsoft certification path — and what a transformative one it was. Attending a free Microsoft Virtual Event offered invaluable insights into AI use cases and industry perspectives, making it an excellent complement to formal study. Achieving AI-900 didn’t just enhance my proficiency with Microsoft’s AI offerings — it also sharpened my grasp of AI theory, its ethical considerations, and real-world applications across sectors. Additionally, it complements my prior certifications, such as the SC-900, the PL-900, and AZ-900, by deepening my understanding of AI within the broader context of cloud computing and security fundamentals.

🧠 Why AI-900 Matters

  • Accessible and beginner-friendly: Designed for both technical and non-technical professionals, the Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-900) exam introduces essential AI and machine learning concepts without requiring any prior experience in data science.
  • Builds Microsoft AI fluency: You’ll explore key Azure AI workloads including computer vision, natural language processing (NLP), generative AI, conversational bots, and no-code AI tools.
  • Promotes responsible AI awareness: Learn about vital AI theory topics such as regression, classification, and ethical principles like fairness, transparency, reliability, and responsible AI.
  • A stepping stone toward advanced certifications: AI-900 provides a solid foundation for deeper paths such as the AI-102: Azure AI Engineer Associate certification — perfect for anyone aiming to specialize further in AI development on Azure. (I earned this certification in mid-2024 and will cover it in a future article.)

🔜 Coming soon: I earned the AI-102 certification in mid-2024 and will cover it in a dedicated review article soon.

📊 Skills Measured (Updated on May 2, 2025)

This section covers the skills measured for the AI-900 certification.
The domains are divided into five main knowledge areas, each weighted differently in the exam:

  • Describe Artificial Intelligence workloads and considerations (15–20%)
    • Identify features of common AI workloads (e.g., prediction, classification, conversation, vision, language)
    • Describe guiding principles for responsible AI
    • Describe considerations for fairness, reliability, transparency, privacy, and safety in AI solutions
  • Describe fundamental principles of machine learning on Azure (15–20%)
    • Identify core machine learning concepts (regression, classification, clustering)
    • Describe supervised, unsupervised, and reinforcement learning
    • Describe features and uses of Azure Machine Learning
  • Describe features of computer vision workloads on Azure (15–20%)
    • Identify common computer vision tasks (image classification, object detection, facial recognition, OCR)
    • Describe Azure services for computer vision (Azure AI Vision, Custom Vision, Face, Form Recognizer)
    • Describe use cases for computer vision in Azure
  • Describe features of Natural Language Processing (NLP) workloads on Azure (15–20%)
    • Identify common NLP tasks (sentiment analysis, language detection, translation, entity recognition)
    • Describe Azure services for NLP (Azure AI Language, Translator, QnA Maker)
    • Describe use cases for NLP in Azure
  • Describe features of generative AI workloads on Azure (20–25%)
    • Identify generative AI concepts (large language models, image generation, conversational AI)
    • Describe Azure services for generative AI (Azure OpenAI Service, Copilot Studio)
    • Describe use cases for generative AI in Azure

💡 Practical Tips for Passing AI-900

  • Leverage official Microsoft Learn paths: Use Microsoft’s free learning modules, which directly follow the exam outline and are updated regularly.
  • Use practice exams strategically: Microsoft’s practice assessments are closely aligned with the test and highlight areas needing improvement.
  • Track weak areas: Practice assessments provide a breakdown of your performance, making it easier to focus revision where it’s most needed.
  • Familiarize yourself with logistics:
    • ~40–60 questions (multiple-choice, drag-and-drop, true/false)
    • ~45 minutes duration.
    • 700/1000 required to pass.
    • Available online (proctored) or in person at Pearson VUE centers.

🗂️ Study Strategy

When preparing for this certification — and later Fundamentals exams — I followed a simple but effective strategy:

  • Organize your study materials: Gather and structure all relevant resources early on so they’re easy to revisit when reviewing key topics.
  • Watch John Savill’s Study Cram video: Whether before, during, or after completing the learning paths, Savill’s videos are incredibly helpful. He has a knack for simplifying complex Azure concepts and explaining them with clarity and enthusiasm.
  • Complete Microsoft’s official AI-900 course: This free Microsoft course is comprehensive, regularly updated, and fully aligned with the current exam objectives.
  • Stay confident on exam day: By the time you take the test, you’ll have built a solid foundation through structured preparation. Focus on what you know, manage your time effectively, and keep a calm, clear mindset.

🎟️ Exam Vouchers and Discounts

When I took the AI-900: Azure AI Fundamentals exam in late 2022, I was fortunate to receive a free exam voucher through a Microsoft Virtual Training Day. The experience turned out to be incredibly valuable — it included expert-led presentations, downloadable slide decks for later review, and the voucher that ultimately allowed me to sit the exam at no cost.

Live sessions can add context, structure, and motivation that you simply don’t get from books or tutorials alone. That said, Microsoft’s official learning paths for AI-900 are excellent — so even if you can’t attend a live event, self-study remains a perfectly viable route.

As of 2025, the situation has evolved slightly. Full-fee waivers are less common, but 50% discounts are often available through Virtual Training Days. Complete discounts still appear occasionally, especially during Microsoft Ignite or AI Skills Challenge campaigns.

If you’re planning to pursue AI-900, I highly recommend checking out Microsoft Events. Beyond potential discounts, you’ll gain valuable insights directly from Microsoft experts — an excellent complement to your own preparation.

📦 Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways

In hindsight, earning the AI-900 certification was a pivotal milestone in my journey into AI and cloud computing. It provided a strong grounding in AI theory as well as hands-on knowledge of Azure’s AI services, which continues to support my growth as both a consultant and a lifelong learner.

Whether you’re a beginner exploring artificial intelligence for the first time or a professional validating existing knowledge, AI-900 is a smart investment. The exam is well-structured, the resources are freely available, and the learning curve is manageable — even for non-technical candidates.

Most importantly, AI-related skills are in high demand across industries. Adding this certification to your portfolio demonstrates initiative, curiosity, and a future-ready mindset — qualities that employers consistently value.

🚨 Disclaimer: This article is solely based on my personal account. I have not received any endorsement or compensation from Microsoft or any related party. I aim to share insights that may help others assess whether the AI-900 aligns with their own goals and needs. Whenever possible, I also encourage you to look into available discounts, vouchers or community resources that may help cover the costs of such exams.

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