Python app development
RecommendedMicrosoft expects experience building apps in Python.
Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate (AI-103)
Validates knowledge of building Azure AI solutions, including generative AI, agents, computer vision, text analysis and information extraction.
Summary
AI-103 is Microsoft's associate certification for developers who build AI apps and agents on Azure with Microsoft Foundry. It covers planning, securing and monitoring AI solutions, generative AI and agents, vision, text and speech, and retrieval and information extraction.
Good fit if
- You build Python apps and want Foundry, agents and RAG
- You already work with Azure and want to specialize in AI
- AI engineer postings you target ask for Azure AI skills
Look elsewhere if
- You are new to Azure AI: AI-901
- You mostly train and tune models: a machine learning engineer certification
- You want a cross-platform agent credential: GitHub Agentic AI Developer
Salary & jobs
Prerequisites
Cost
What holders say
A credible step for developers in the Microsoft stack
Developers moving toward AI from other Microsoft roles say the predecessor exam gave real exposure to Azure AI services and added credibility, especially alongside small AI projects they could show.
Valued most by Microsoft partners
A long-time Microsoft engineer says the employers who cared about their certifications were Microsoft partners, which earn program credit for certified staff, and Microsoft itself.
Projects matter more than the badge
People discussing AI-102 and the Azure AI engineer path say the certification alone carries little weight in hiring. Interviewers look for projects that show the same skills.
Renewal
Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate is valid for one year.
- Validity
- 1 year
- Renewal requirement
- Free online assessment
- Renewal fee
- None
The assessment opens six months before expiry on Microsoft Learn. It is unproctored and open book, and you can retake it as often as you need before the expiry date.
Microsoft Certification renewal ↗Alternatives
GitHub Certified: Agentic AI Developer$165 required · Intermediate
An associate certification for building AI agents across platforms.
AI-200$165 required · Intermediate
Microsoft's developer certification for cloud apps that use AI services.
AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate$75 required · Intermediate
The machine learning step if your employer runs on AWS.
FAQ
How much does the AI-103 exam cost?
$165 in the US. Microsoft sets the fee by the country you test in.
Does AI-103 replace AI-102?
Yes. Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102) retired on June 30, 2026, and Microsoft names AI-103 as its replacement. A retired certification stays on your transcript but can no longer be renewed.
Do I need Python experience for AI-103?
It is not a formal requirement, but Microsoft expects you to build apps in Python and the exam includes SDK code.
Can you use Microsoft Learn during AI-103?
Yes. Microsoft Learn opens in a split screen during the exam, with no extra time.
Last updated October 2026