Microsoft’s New AI Certifications for 2026: Full List, Retirements, and Replacement Paths

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping every industry, every job role, and every skill path. To keep pace with this massive shift, Microsoft has announced a brand‑new wave of AI‑aligned, cloud‑ready, security‑focused certifications – while retiring several older ones.

If you’re preparing for DP‑100, AI‑900, AI‑102, AZ‑204, AZ‑500, or Windows Server exams, this update directly affects your learning journey.

Why Microsoft Is Updating Certifications

According to the World Economic Forum, AI and emerging technologies could create 78 million new jobs by 2030. Microsoft is aligning its certification portfolio to match this shift – focusing on:

• Generative AI
• Autonomous agents
• Cloud‑AI integration
• AI‑aligned security
• Modern data engineering
• AI‑augmented development

These certifications are designed to validate real‑world, job‑ready skills for the AI‑powered workplace of 2026 and beyond.

Timeline

Below is the timeline for the new exams (beta).

New Microsoft Certifications (2026 Timeline)

1. Machine Learning Operations (MLOps) Engineer – Exam AI‑300

For deploying and operationalizing ML & GenAI solutions.

• Beta: March 2026
• Go‑Live: May 2026

2. Azure Databricks Data Engineer – Exam DP‑750

For scalable, secure data pipelines using Databricks.

• Beta: March 2026
• Go‑Live: May 2026

3. SQL AI Developer – Exam DP‑800

For integrating AI into modern database solutions.

• Beta: March 2026
• Go‑Live: May 2026

4. Azure AI Fundamentals – Exam AI‑901

Updated fundamentals for building AI apps and agents.

• Beta: April 2026
• Go‑Live: June 2026

5. Azure AI App & Agent Developer – Exam AI‑103

For building generative apps, agents, and multi‑agent workflows.

• Beta: April 2026
• Go‑Live: June 2026

6. Cybersecurity Business Professional – Exam SC‑730

For business‑aligned security decision‑making in AI‑enabled orgs.

• Beta: April 2026
• Go‑Live: July 2026

7. Azure AI Cloud Developer – Exam AI‑200

For building and integrating AI solutions using Azure compute, vector DBs, pipelines, and serverless functions.

• Beta: April 2026
• Go‑Live: July 2026

8. Cloud & AI Security Engineer – Exam SC‑500

For securing cloud and AI model environments.

• Beta: May 2026
• Go‑Live: July 2026

9. Windows Server Hybrid Administrator – Exam AZ‑802

Updated hybrid infrastructure certification.

Go‑Live: August 2026

Beta: June 2026

Retiring Certifications (2026)

Older certifications are being phased out and replaced by the new AI‑aligned ones.

Microsoft’s 2026 certification overhaul is one of the biggest shifts in the last decade. Whether you’re a developer, data engineer, security professional, or AI enthusiast, these new certifications are designed to validate the skills that matter in the AI‑powered workplace.

Stay tuned – more AI business certifications are expected soon.

Reference: The AI job boom is here. Are you ready to showcase your skills? | Microsoft Community Hub

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