Do not start here without Azure basics.
When a candidate with very basic cloud knowledge asked where to begin, an experienced commenter pointed them to AI-901 and AZ-900 first, because AI-200 assumes working Azure knowledge.
Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Cloud Developer Associate (AI-200) Exam Guide
Validates knowledge of building AI-enabled Azure back-end solutions using containers, Cosmos DB, PostgreSQL, Redis, messaging, security and monitoring.
AI-200 tests whether you can build, connect, secure and monitor the back end of an AI solution on Azure. Most of the work is code, so build each service in your own subscription with the Python SDKs, then practise reading scenarios and choosing the right service and setting.
Understand the exam
Syllabus
Develop containerized solutions on Azure20–25%
- Implement container application hosting
- Implement container-orchestrated solutions
Example scenario: A queue-processing container should scale to zero overnight and scale out when messages arrive. Where would you host it and how would you configure scaling?
Develop AI solutions by using Azure data management services30–35%
- Develop AI solutions by using Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL
- Develop AI solutions by using Azure Database for PostgreSQL
- Integrate Azure Managed Redis in AI solutions
Example scenario: A RAG app must return the five most similar documents but only from the customer's own region. How would you write the PostgreSQL query?
Connect to and consume Azure services20–25%
- Develop event- and message-based AI solutions
- Develop and implement Azure Functions
Example scenario: Some orders fail processing three times in a row. How would you keep them for investigation without blocking the queue?
Secure, monitor, and troubleshoot Azure solutions20–25%
- Implement secure Azure solutions
- Monitor and troubleshoot Azure solutions
Example scenario: A request is slow somewhere between a Function, Service Bus and Cosmos DB. How would you find which hop adds the delay?
AI-200 study guide · Skills measured as of October 7, 2026
Format
- Questions
- 40–60
- Duration
- 2h
- Passing score
- 700 / 1000
- Delivery
- Test centre or online
- Languages
- English, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish
Question types
Choose the best answer from the options, or the stated number of answers when a question asks for more than one.
CertUp example
A function must process each Service Bus message at least once and keep messages that fail repeatedly for later review. What should you rely on?
Show answer
A. After the maximum delivery count, Service Bus moves the message to the dead-letter queue where you can inspect it without blocking the queue.
Drag items from a list into the matching places; an item can be used once, more than once or not at all.
CertUp example
Drag each requirement to the service that meets it. The requirements are store JSON documents with vector search, cache frequent lookups with expiry, and run code when a blob is created.
Show answer
Store JSON documents with vector search → Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL, cache lookups with expiry → Azure Managed Redis, run code when a blob is created → Azure Functions.
Pick one value from each drop-down list in a block of text, code or a diagram to complete it.
CertUp example
Select the correct value in each list. A Container Apps service scales on queue length by using a [KEDA scale rule / manual replica count], and can scale down to [zero replicas / one replica] when the queue is empty.
Show answer
KEDA scale rule and zero replicas. A scale rule reacts to queue length and Container Apps can scale to zero.
Read a description of a fictional company, then answer several questions that share the same background.
CertUp example
Northwind runs a support bot that must find similar past tickets quickly. Which data service stores the ticket embeddings so a query can filter by customer region?
Show answer
A. A vector index returns similar tickets, and the filter limits results to the right region.
Complete tasks in a live environment by using the portal or code, and the exam checks the result.
CertUp example
Create a container app from an existing image and set it to scale on queue length.
Show answer
Deploy the image to a Container Apps environment and add a queue-based scale rule with a minimum of zero replicas.
Eligibility and booking
Sign in to Microsoft Learn with a personal Microsoft account, complete your certification profile, then schedule AI-200 with Pearson VUE from the certification page.
Make a study plan
Take the free practice assessment to see where you start. Then work through one course and build every study guide bullet in your own subscription.
Most candidates spend 60–100 hours. Plan for the low end if you already build containerized apps and use Azure data and messaging services; plan for the high end if several of these services are new to you.
- 1Understand the examRead the syllabus and format, check you’re eligible and pick a target date.4 h
- 3Learn the core conceptsWork through one main course or book, topic by topic.41 h
- 4Practice with mock examsTake timed practice tests and review every mistake.21 h
- 5Prepare for exam dayBook the exam and check the ID and delivery rules.4 h
Learn the core concepts
Use the official course for coverage and treat the study guide as a checklist. A video course with code walkthroughs helps you build along.
Best free courseDevelop AI cloud solutions on Azure (AI-200T00)
Best video courseAI-200: Azure AI Cloud Developer Associate - Complete CourseBest quick overviewAI-200: Azure AI Cloud Developer Associate ExamTick off every bullet. Third-party material is still catching up with this exam. Check each study guide bullet against Microsoft Learn documentation and build a small example for it.
Practice with mock exams
Start with Microsoft's free practice assessment, then a larger question bank. For every miss, find the matching study guide bullet and rebuild that piece.
AI-200 Practice Exams Sampler
Microsoft Azure AI Cloud Developer Associate (AI-200) Practice ExamsAI-200: Azure AI Cloud Developer Associate - 1000+ QuestionsAre you ready?
- You can run a vector similarity search in Cosmos DB and in PostgreSQL from Python.
- You can explain when to use Service Bus rather than Event Grid, and how dead-lettering works.
- You score consistently on fresh practice sets and can find missed details on Microsoft Learn quickly.
Prepare for exam day
Choose the checklist for your test-centre or online appointment.
Before going to the test centre
Before testing from home
- Bring a current government-issued ID whose name matches your Microsoft certification profile exactly.
- Arrive early enough to check in and store your belongings.
- Allow about 140 minutes of seat time for 120 minutes of questions.
- Run the OnVUE system test on the same computer, network and room you will use. A personal computer works better than a work laptop.
- Use a walled room with a closed door. Clear the desk of notes, pens and extra screens, and keep your phone out of reach.
- Check in from 30 minutes before your appointment. You photograph your ID and workspace with your phone.
- You can take a break, but the clock keeps running and you cannot return to questions you saw before it.
- If your exam includes a lab, scoring takes about 30 minutes longer.
- If you fail, you can retake after 24 hours. Later retakes need 14 days between attempts.
Advice from exam takers
AZ-204 material helps, but only partly.
One candidate estimated about two thirds overlap with AZ-204 and used AZ-204 practice tests to warm up. The container orchestration and vector database topics are new.
Cover every study guide bullet.
With prep material thin in the exam's first months, a candidate advised working through every task listed in the study guide rather than relying on one course.