AI-900 Retirement: Date, Deadlines, and What Happens to Your Certification (2026)

Last Updated: May 2026

TL;DR: Microsoft is retiring AI-900 on 30 June 2026 at 11:59 PM Central Standard Time. AI-901, the replacement, has been in beta since 21 April 2026 and reaches general availability in June 2026. Both exams earn the same Azure AI Fundamentals credential, which never expires. What you do depends on whether you have passed, are mid-prep, or are starting fresh.

Microsoft's most popular AI fundamentals exam is just over five weeks from retirement. If you have been studying for AI-900 (Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals), already passed it, or simply heard the news and are not sure what it means, this guide answers the three questions every candidate is asking right now: when exactly does it retire, what happens to your certification, and what should you do next?

We cover the deadline, the official Microsoft notice, and the action paths for three different reader situations. For the broader exam comparison, including domain-by-domain content changes, see our full AI-900 vs AI-901 comparison. To prepare for the replacement exam in depth, read our full AI-901 exam guide.

When does AI-900 retire?

AI-900 retires on 30 June 2026 at 11:59 PM Central Standard Time [1]. After this moment, Pearson VUE and Certiport will no longer let you schedule the exam, and any sittings booked beyond that date will not run.

Microsoft confirms this directly on the official AI-900 study guide [1]:

This exam will retire on June 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM Central Standard Time.

And the broader Azure AI Fundamentals certification page carries the same warning [2]:

The requirements for this certification are changing. The related exam for AI-900 will retire on June 30, 2026. It will be replaced with AI-901. You can continue to earn this certification after AI-900 retires by passing AI-901.

The cut-off applies globally, with no regional extensions. Because Microsoft uses Central Standard Time as their retirement convention regardless of the date, candidates outside North America should not try to convert and squeeze in a last-minute sitting. Schedule no later than mid-June 2026 to avoid any timezone ambiguity and to keep room for a retake.

What retirement means in practice

• After 30 June 2026, no new bookings for AI-900 are accepted anywhere in the world.
• The AI-900 self-paced learning path on Microsoft Learn is already marked as deprecated.
• The AI-900T00-A instructor-led course has been replaced by AI-901T00-A: Introduction to AI in Azure [3].
• Microsoft's free practice assessment for AI-900 will be retired alongside the exam.

What retirement does not affect: certifications already earned. The next section covers that in detail.

What happens to your AI-900 certification after retirement?

If you have already passed AI-900, your certification remains valid for life. Microsoft's policy on fundamentals-tier certifications is explicit [4]:

The Azure AI Fundamentals certification does not expire since it is a fundamentals certification.

This applies to every fundamentals-level credential in the Microsoft portfolio. Unlike associate and expert certifications, fundamentals do not require renewal and are not time-limited.

Concrete implications for current AI-900 holders:

• The credential stays on your Microsoft Learn transcript indefinitely.
• The badge remains shareable on LinkedIn, your CV, and your portfolio.
• Employers can verify your certification through Microsoft's official badge system at any time.
• No retake of AI-901 is required for your existing credential to remain valid.
• AI-900 continues to count as conceptual preparation for role-based certifications such as AI-102 (Azure AI Engineer Associate) and DP-100 (Azure Data Scientist Associate) [2].

If you want AI-901 for updated knowledge or to demonstrate currency to employers, you can take it any time after retirement, but it is entirely optional. You will earn the same certification credential, Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals, not a distinct AI-901 badge.

What is replacing AI-900?

AI-901 (Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals) is the direct successor. The beta exam has been live since 21 April 2026 [5], and general availability is expected during June 2026, per Microsoft's official Tech Community announcement [6]. Both AI-900 and AI-901 earn the same certification: Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals.

The core shift is from describing Azure AI services individually to building applications and agents through Microsoft Foundry, the unified platform that replaces the older Azure AI Foundry branding. The published AI-901 exam objectives confirm a two-domain structure [5]:

• Identify AI concepts and responsibilities (40 to 45 percent)
• Implement AI solutions by using Microsoft Foundry (55 to 60 percent)

This is a significant restructure from AI-900's five-domain breakdown. For a domain-by-domain comparison of what is added, removed, and re-weighted, see our full AI-900 vs AI-901 comparison.

What should you do now?

The right action depends on where you are today. Pick the path that matches your situation.

If you already hold AI-900

Do nothing. Your certification is valid for life and you do not need to take AI-901. Microsoft's official position is that no upgrade is required, and your AI-900 credential continues to appear on your transcript regardless of when employers verify it.

If your role has shifted toward building generative AI applications or agents, AI-901 may be worth adding for the updated content (Microsoft Foundry, agent orchestration, model deployment). Otherwise, your time is better spent on the associate-level AI-102 path, where your existing fundamentals knowledge applies directly.

If you are currently preparing for AI-900

You have approximately five weeks to sit the exam, which is achievable if your study is well advanced. The practical guidance:

• Book your AI-900 sitting now, no later than the week of 15 June 2026, to ensure Pearson VUE availability in your region.
• Build in time for a second attempt if needed. After 30 June 2026, retakes are not possible.
• Focus your final revision on the highest-weight domain: features of generative AI workloads (20 to 25 percent), which carries the most marks under the current AI-900 skills outline.
• If you are mid-preparation but doubtful you can sit by 30 June 2026, switching to AI-901 now is the safer choice. The AI-901 beta is open, GA arrives in June 2026, and there is no retirement-deadline pressure.

If you are weighing whether to push for AI-900 or pivot to AI-901, our full AI-900 vs AI-901 comparison walks through the take-or-wait decision in detail.

If you are starting from scratch in 2026

Prepare for AI-901, not AI-900. The reasoning is simple: the AI-900 learning path is already deprecated, retake opportunities end at the deadline, and AI-901 is the future-aligned exam. Both result in the same certification, so there is no advantage to chasing the retiring code.

Start with the AI-901T00-A: Introduction to AI in Azure course on Microsoft Learn, then validate your readiness with realistic practice questions. Examinotion offers a dedicated AI-901 practice exam with hard-difficulty questions covering both AI-901 domains, AI concepts and responsibilities and implementing AI solutions with Microsoft Foundry.

Frequently asked questions

When exactly does AI-900 retire?

AI-900 retires on 30 June 2026 at 11:59 PM Central Standard Time, per Microsoft's official AI-900 study guide [1]. No new sittings are accepted globally after this moment. Because the deadline uses a North American time zone, candidates elsewhere should schedule by mid-June 2026 to avoid timezone confusion and to keep room for a possible retake.

Does my AI-900 certification expire when the exam retires?

No. Microsoft fundamentals certifications, including AI-900, have lifetime validity and never expire [4]. Retirement only affects the ability to take the exam, not to hold the credential. Your AI-900 certification stays on your Microsoft Learn transcript permanently and remains shareable on LinkedIn and your CV indefinitely, with no renewal action required.

Can I still book AI-900 right up to the retirement date?

In theory yes, but in practice booking windows fill up. Pearson VUE typically requires at least 24 hours advance scheduling, and demand spikes ahead of retirement deadlines. Book no later than mid-June 2026 and ideally schedule a backup slot in case your first attempt is unsuccessful. After 30 June 2026, no retakes are possible at any price.

Is AI-901 available now?

Yes. AI-901 has been live in beta since 21 April 2026 [5]. The beta costs less than the eventual GA price, results are delayed by 8 to 10 weeks, and passing the beta still earns the Azure AI Fundamentals credential. General availability is expected in June 2026, at which point AI-901 becomes the only Azure AI fundamentals exam.

What happens if I fail AI-900 just before retirement?

If you sit AI-900 in late June and fail, there is no time to retake before 30 June 2026. You would need to prepare for AI-901 instead. There is no formal transfer between the two exams, so unused vouchers or Exam Replay credits should be redeemed before retirement. After retirement, contact Microsoft support for refund options.

Do I need to take AI-901 after AI-900 retires if I already passed AI-900?

No. Both exams lead to the same certification: Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals [2]. Your AI-900 credential remains fully valid and Microsoft does not require any further exam. Taking AI-901 is entirely optional and only worthwhile if you specifically want to demonstrate familiarity with Microsoft Foundry, AI agents, and the updated generative AI content.

Mark the date, then move

AI-900 retires on 30 June 2026 at 11:59 PM Central Standard Time. Existing certifications stay valid for life. Mid-prep candidates have just over five weeks to sit, and brand-new starters should prepare for AI-901 directly.

If your next move is AI-901, start practising with Examinotion's AI-901 practice questions and read our full AI-901 exam guide for the complete preparation pathway.

Sources

1. Microsoft Learn, "Study guide for Exam AI-900: Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals." https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/resources/study-guides/ai-900 (accessed 23 May 2026)
2. Microsoft Learn, "Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals." https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/azure-ai-fundamentals/ (accessed 23 May 2026)
3. Microsoft Learn, "Course AI-901T00-A: Introduction to AI in Azure." https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/courses/ai-901t00 (accessed 23 May 2026)
4. Microsoft Q&A, "When does AI-900 cert expire?" https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/1181521/when-does-ai-900-cert-expire (accessed 23 May 2026)
5. Microsoft Learn, "Exam AI-901: Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals (beta)." https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/exams/ai-901/ (accessed 23 May 2026)
6. Microsoft Tech Community, "The AI job boom is here. Are you ready to showcase your skills?" https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/skills-hub-blog/the-ai-job-boom-is-here-are-you-ready-to-showcase-your-skills/4494128 (accessed 23 May 2026)