The short answer
Microsoft's AI training on Microsoft Learn is free: Microsoft's own FAQ says the training is free and available to anyone, and you do not even need a profile to read it. What costs money is the certification exam. The exam most people search for, AI-900: Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals, was retired on 30 June 2026 and replaced by AI-901, which now expects some Python knowledge. AI-102 has been retired too, replaced by AI-103.
For a non-developer who wants to use AI at work, the better Microsoft route today is the free Build foundational generative AI skills learning path and, if you want a paid credential, the no-code AI Business Professional certification (exam AB-730). Developers should look at AI-901, AI-103 and Microsoft's free GitHub courses such as Generative AI for Beginners and AI Agents for Beginners.
Checked against Microsoft's own pages on 28 September 2026. Offers change, so confirm the current details before you enrol. Sources: Microsoft Learn FAQ, AI-900 exam page, AI-901 exam page, Azure AI Engineer Associate, AI Business Professional, exam FAQ and Microsoft's certification retirement announcement.
Microsoft's AI courses and exams at a glance
| Course or resource | Provider | What it covers | Level and technicality | Free or paid | Certificate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Build foundational generative AI skills | Microsoft Learn | Generative AI basics, responsible AI, prompting, Copilot Chat | Beginner; for business users | Free | Learn achievement (not a certification) |
| AI Fluency: Explore AI basics | Microsoft Learn | AI, machine learning, deep learning, AI history | Beginner; no prerequisites | Free | Learn achievement |
| Get started with AI applications and agents on Azure | Microsoft Learn | Generative AI, agents, text, speech, vision in Microsoft Foundry | Beginner; needs basic Python | Free | Learn achievement |
| Generative AI for Beginners | Microsoft (GitHub) | 21 lessons on building generative AI apps | Beginner developers; Python or TypeScript | Free | None |
| AI Agents for Beginners | Microsoft (GitHub) | 18 lessons on building AI agents | Beginner developers; Python | Free | None |
| AI-901: Azure AI Fundamentals | Microsoft Credentials | AI concepts and building with Microsoft Foundry | Entry level; needs Python and Azure familiarity | Paid exam | Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals |
| AB-730: AI Business Professional | Microsoft Credentials | Using Microsoft 365 Copilot and agents at work | Beginner; no coding | Paid exam | Microsoft Certified: AI Business Professional |
| AI-103: Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer | Microsoft Credentials | Generative and agentic AI solutions on Azure | Intermediate; needs Python app development | Paid exam | Associate certification |
Is Microsoft Learn really free?
Yes. The Microsoft Learn FAQ says the training is free and available to anyone, and that you can access and use all content without creating a profile. Signing in adds progress tracking, points, and badges and trophies for completed modules and learning paths.
Two caveats. First, badges and trophies are achievements, not certifications. Second, some technical modules include hands-on exercises in Azure. The same FAQ says the old free Learn sandboxes are no longer available, so those exercises need an Azure subscription, either a free 30-day trial or pay-as-you-go. Non-technical paths such as the Copilot one do not need Azure.
What happened to AI-900?
This is the part most search results have not caught up with. The AI-900 exam page now carries a warning that AI-900 was retired on 30 June 2026 and has been replaced by AI-901. To earn Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals, you now pass AI-901.
That change matters for non-developers. The old AI-900 page said the exam suited both technical and non-technical backgrounds, with no data science or software engineering experience required. The AI-901 page is different: it says you need conceptual knowledge of AI solutions in Azure, knowledge of Python coding syntax and programming techniques, and familiarity with Azure resources. Its two skill areas are identifying AI concepts and capabilities (40 to 45%) and implementing AI solutions using Microsoft Foundry (55 to 60%). The passing score is 700.
According to Microsoft's retirement announcement, if you already earned the certification through AI-900 it stays valid, and fundamentals certifications do not expire.
Plenty of study guides, videos and practice tests still teach "AI-900". If you are preparing now, prepare for AI-901, and make sure your materials say so.
What about AI-102?
The Azure AI Engineer Associate page, which was earned through exam AI-102, now says that the certification and its renewal assessment are retired. Microsoft's announcement lists the retirement date as 30 June 2026 and names the replacement as Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate (exam AI-103).
The AI-103 certification page is clearly for developers. It asks for experience developing apps in Python and covers generative and agentic solutions, computer vision, text analysis and information extraction, in a 120 minute exam. If you are not a developer, skip it.
What does a Microsoft AI exam cost?
Microsoft does not give one global price. Every exam page we checked says the price is based on the country or region where the exam is proctored, and Microsoft's exam FAQ says associate and expert exams typically cost US$165, priced according to local currency, with taxes possibly on top. The FAQ did not give a typical figure for fundamentals exams, so check the exam page for your country before booking.
A few other points from the same FAQ are worth knowing:
- Practice assessments are free where an exam has one. For AI-901, the page says the practice assessment is on AI Skills Navigator and you must sign in to use it.
- There are no refunds if you fail or miss an appointment.
- Student discounts are available in some countries.
- Associate certifications expire annually but can be renewed with a free online assessment, according to the AB-730 study guide.
The better Microsoft option for non-developers
If you use Microsoft 365 at work and want to get better with AI, start with the free Build foundational generative AI skills path. It is marked beginner, aimed at business users, and has four modules covering generative AI at work, how Copilot Chat works, writing effective prompts and working smarter with Copilot Chat. The only prerequisite is being familiar with Microsoft 365. Microsoft notes that what you see in Copilot may differ from the training depending on your version.
If you want a formal credential, the AI Business Professional certification (exam AB-730) is the Microsoft exam that fits. Microsoft describes it as beginner level and for people using generative AI tools and Microsoft 365 apps without coding or app development skills. The exam is 45 minutes. The English version will be updated on 20 October 2026, and the study guide says the new version adds using prebuilt agents and Microsoft Copilot Cowork. It is a paid exam, and it only makes sense if your workplace uses Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Microsoft's free generative AI and agents courses for developers
Two of Microsoft's most popular free AI courses live on GitHub rather than Microsoft Learn:
- Generative AI for Beginners has 21 lessons. "Learn" lessons explain concepts, while "Build" lessons include code in Python and TypeScript. It is MIT licensed and free.
- AI Agents for Beginners has 18 lessons with Python code samples using Microsoft Agent Framework with Microsoft Foundry, and some samples need an Azure account.
Both are very good for their audience, which is beginner programmers. For someone who has never coded, the "Learn" lessons in Generative AI for Beginners are readable, but the course as a whole is built around building.
In plain English
- Learning path:
- Microsoft's name for a free, self-paced sequence of modules on Microsoft Learn.
- Certification:
- A credential you earn by passing a paid, proctored exam. Different from the free badges you get for finishing modules.
- Microsoft Foundry:
- Microsoft's platform for building AI apps and agents on Azure, and the focus of the AI-901 and AI-103 exams.
Where LearnWithZavi fits
LearnWithZavi is a free AI school for people who are not developers, with no signup, no payment stage and a free certificate of completion at the end of each course. We are not affiliated with Microsoft and we are not accredited, so our certificate records that you finished the lessons rather than being a Microsoft credential.
Our courses teach skills that carry across tools, so what you learn applies to Copilot as well as ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini. Good starting points are Prompt Engineering, Introduction to Generative AI, AI Productivity at Work and Introduction to AI Agents. You can also browse free courses with a certificate, courses that need no coding, generative AI courses or all free AI courses. If you are weighing up providers, how to choose a free AI course sets out the questions to ask first.
Frequently asked questions
Are Microsoft's AI courses free? Yes. Microsoft Learn training is free, including AI learning paths and modules. Certification exams are paid, and some technical exercises need an Azure subscription.
Can I still take AI-900? No. Microsoft's AI-900 page says the exam was retired on 30 June 2026 and replaced by AI-901. If you already passed AI-900, your Azure AI Fundamentals certification remains valid.
Is AI-901 suitable for non-technical people? Less so than AI-900 was. The AI-901 page says you need knowledge of Python coding syntax and familiarity with Azure resources. Non-developers are better served by the AB-730 AI Business Professional certification.
How much does the AI-900 or AI-901 exam cost? Microsoft prices exams by the country where they are taken, so the exam page shows your local price. The exam FAQ gives a typical US$165 for associate and expert exams, not for fundamentals ones, so check before booking.
Is AI-102 still available? No. Microsoft says the Azure AI Engineer Associate certification and its renewal are retired. The replacement is the Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate, earned through exam AI-103.