I don’t hold any certs yet and this would be my first time getting certified by any cloud provider. I’m already about halfway through the training modules and find it to be easy to understand so far.

I want to know what to expect on the exam. Did anyone have trouble passing their certification exams and what strategies could help me prepare in the best way possible?

Also, do I need to remember terminal commands learned throughout the modules?

I recently took AI-102. In order to help others taking the exam in the future, I will lay out what I thought about the exam, and what I studied.

Background: Working as a Data Scientist but I am not well-versed with the services covered in this course.

The certificates that I have passed prior to this are:
DP-100 (Azure Data Scientist)

AI-900 (Azure AI Fundamentals)

Thoughts on the Exam: Easily the most difficult among the 3 certificates that I have done. The exam covers a lot of areas from Translation, to Language, to Speech, to Search, Computer Vision, etc... and it is expected that you also know how to code using all of those services. I actually thought I was gonna fail mid-way as half of the items I wasn't too sure about my answer.

You also have to know how to deploy AI services and containerize them.

What I studied: The exam was changed recently this May, so I didn't want to rely on any online resource outside of the official Microsoft site.

I used the following:

- Microsoft Learn Track

- Microsoft Applied AI Documentation (IMPORTANT)

- AI-102 Practice Assessment (THIS ONE IS FREE, UTILIZE THIS! You can find this at the "Schedule Exam" part on the main AI-102 page)

Reading the documentation and understanding the code is important, the exam is unpassable if you don't go through them.

How I studied: I started studying May 16, all the way to June 6. 2-3 hours everyday, I made sure to run everything at least once and familiarized myself with the Python(or C#, they let you choose) code and learning material from each AI service. Same with DP-100, I did not take notes (I'm bad at taking notes).

Good luck to those that want to take the exam and hope this was of help!

Hello, I have been working in IT for about 20 years as a consultant, administrator, architect, and systems manager (Windows Server, Exchange, etc.). For the past few years, I have been working as an Azure architect (although I also have administration knowledge, Terraform, etc.). I also have extensive knowledge of security and network-related topics, load balancers, and more.

I want to explore how to offer artificial intelligence services through the consulting firm I work for. I believe many could greatly advance if they had their own ChatGPT, into which they could upload their internal documentation, and employees could interact with it to resolve doubts. Or even offer clients information, which would save on poor customer service or phone systems with menus that contribute nothing. Not to mention the current chatbots, which are useless.

I'm considering obtaining the AI-900 and AI-102 certifications from Azure. Are they worth it? Would it be the logical path given my knowledge of Azure?

In addition to helping me research these topics I mentioned to offer clients, I'm curious to know if companies are already valuing the hiring of such profiles.

Thanks!

"I’m an IT professional seeking to broaden my career opportunities. I'm currently pursuing the 'Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate' certification and would like to understand whether this qualification can enhance my earning potential. Additionally, I’m interested in learning about the types of job roles that typically become available after obtaining this certification.

I've recently earned the Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Certifications, specifically the A-900 and A-102. In light of this accomplishment, I've taken the time to document the entire journey, outlining the step-by-step process I followed and detailing my unique study style. My aim is to share this valuable information with anyone who is interested in pursuing these certifications, offering insights and tips that could prove beneficial in their own certification endeavors.

You can visit my blog entry here.

https://thegeekgypsy.in/2023/01/29/azure-ai-engineer-associate-certification/

Booked mine on Friday morning and honourably passed with a commendable 820 with 7 minutes left on the clock.

Study Material:

▪︎Learn.dot.microsoft.com - bookmark on PC, laptop and mobile

▪︎ John Savill's cram - Two focused hours the morning before the exam. Not THAT helpful but it drills the terminology right in.

▪︎ AI 102 learning path. I went through the content twice.

▪︎ Linkedin learning prep guide videos - Freshly updated in April and June for a couple of them. Caveat: Premium access only. Cool thing are the demos. In case you did not perform any labs yourself, it's worth a shot.

▪︎ MS On demand Instructor led series. Yes it's free! - 13 easy to follow videos in all with demos. I stopped after 6, running out of time. If I could, I would go through all of them again.

Tips:

▪︎ Know beforehand how to access the AI services documentation, the tree view in the left pane etc. Ctrl-F does not work. The general Learn search will eat up your valuable time. Why I say so is that SDK class names can easily be confirmed in case you are unsure.

▪︎ Know your containers, how to deploy various models, the ordering of steps (project, import data, train, etc). I had about 5 questions dealing with these.

▪︎ Know which AI solution works best in different scenarios, which is most cost effective. Exam questions are tricky and MS will lay a trap with the wording.

▪︎Make sure you know what custom vision, custom models, etc are all about.

▪︎ AI Content Safety. Got 3 questions there. Easily one of those topics we tend to forget.

The exam:

51 questions, with 5 case study Qs at the very beginning. Some had these at the end. The 1h40 min seem like an eternally long time but without judicious use of it, you may run the risk of sprinting through the last questions. I did not perform well regarding generative AI and document intelligence. Honestly admit I did not focus a lot on these. I did not even do a single MS Learning Path lab exercise either though I did read sample Github code.

My background: I hold a PMP plus several Agile certs. This was my 4th Azure cert and 2nd Associate level exam after the AZ-104 last year. Not much coding experience in close to a decade.

Given I seized my chance with a free cert through the AI Challenge, I just had to pass this one. Study time: 1 to 1.5hrs per day for 2 weeks incl weekends. Wish I could study more though.

I believe there are loads of you gunning for passing it tomorrow - AI challenge deadline day. All the best, keep faith. Do not let your study hours go to waste. That fresh credential is awaiting you 👍 Cheers.

POST update:

7 Jan 2025 - I successfully renewed my cert for another year at the first attempt.

Was fairly easy: chatgpt, ms learn, 25 questions within 30 minutes.

Just passed the AI-102 exam with a score of 892! The exam was moderate in difficulty. There were 52 questions in total, including 11 lab questions (which covered areas like prompt engineering). One weird thing—I noticed that time stopped once I started the labs, and I had about 54 minutes left when I began them.

My Prep Strategy:

1. Kaustubh Sharma’s quiz – Super helpful!

2. MS Learn – Went through it thoroughly and completed 48 badges

3. FreeCodeCamp YouTube video – Great for hands-on practice

4. MS Learn Hands-on Labs – Highly recommend for practical understanding

For anyone preparing—focus on labs, cognitive services, and responsible AI concepts. Good luck! 👍👍

EDIT: I'm talking about the ones CERTIFIED by Microsoft, not just some random certificates you can obtain through MOOCs.

I know the general feeling is that loads of certificates are just garbage and there are people with tons of certificates but couldn't do anything properly.

But these certificates are credited by Microsoft and you need to sit through an exam to get them.

Would they be a strong boost to a mid-senior level data scientist resume, or they just mean that the person is interested in the field?

What's your opinion?

Thanks!

EDIT 2: From the comments, it appears that there's a big confusion between MOOCs certificates and Cloud providers certifications (Maybe the post title was confusing - I'm not a native English speaker). Nevertheless, if the replies here represent the industry hiring managers (which is unclear due to anonymity), then these certifications are only useful if coupled with experience related to the technology.

Hey everyone! 🎉

I just passed the AI-102 exam and earned my Azure AI Engineer Associate certification! I'm really excited about this achievement, but now I'm looking for some guidance on what my next steps should be.

My current background:

• AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner

• Azure AI Engineer Associate (just passed!)

• Hands-on experience with Azure AI services, OpenAI integration, computer vision, and NLP

• Built several projects during my certification journey (documented on GitHub)

• Strong foundation in Linux, DevOps tools, and database management

What I'm wondering:

1. Are there actually entry-level cloud/AI jobs out there? I keep seeing "entry-level" positions that require 2-3 years of experience 😅

2. Should I focus more on traditional cloud roles (Cloud Support, Cloud Admin) or try to go directly into AI-focused positions?

3. What's the job market like for someone with these certifications but limited professional experience?

4. Any recommendations for next certifications or skills to develop?

I'm particularly interested in roles like:

• Cloud Support Engineer

• AI Solutions Developer

• Cloud Administrator

• Junior AI Engineer

My struggle: I've been applying for months but haven't had much luck landing interviews. I'm wondering if I should:

• Get more hands-on experience through personal projects?

• Consider internships or volunteer work?

• Focus on networking more?

• Add more certifications to my profile?

For those who've made the transition into cloud/AI careers - what worked for you? Any specific advice for someone with certifications but looking to break into the industry?

Also, if anyone wants to connect on LinkedIn or check out my projects, feel free to reach out! Always happy to connect with fellow cloud enthusiasts.

Thanks in advance for any advice! This community has been incredibly helpful during my certification journey. 🙏

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/activity-7342252309260709888-u2jF?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAADUJmmcB54B-G1QJW5TGfeEIGZ-zCSzXi1Q

As everyone is exploring Artificial Intelligence and looking to increase their skills, I thought I would try and lend a hand and create a Study Cram for the AI-102 exam that gets you the Azure AI Engineer Associate certification. Good luck!

https://youtu.be/I7fdWafTcPY

https://github.com/vatsprat/AI-102-AI-Engineer-Associate-Certification-Exam-

https://medium.com/@vats.pratyush.11/mastering-the-microsoft-azure-ai-engineer-associate-certification-ai-102-a-complete-step-by-step-a0e278210510

hey guys,
I'm an intern at a company that offered to purchase an Azure certificate for me
I was looking out to choose Azure AI Engineer associate
I have some experience with ML from courses and projects
but I don't have a damn idea about DL
should I have an experience with DL to take the course ???
please I welcome any advice even if it doesn't answer the question

Passed the AI-102 this morning!
Score: 760.

Resources used:
Microsoft Learn
John Savill's Exam Cram
Hands-on project with Azure AI Services

I also had the Scott Duffy's course on Udemy, but didn't had the bandwidth to complete the course, did about 15% of it. Also, Microsoft Learn is a solid resource!

I was wondering if there were more exams and labs that I could practice before I take the exam. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hey all, I am trying to start on AI. Currently studying Az 900 - I think that is the Azure Fundamentals. I plan to take that test hopefully within 3 weeks. I want to focus next on one of the Azure AI certifications. I am struggling with which one to take, as i really wanted to rather focus on Generative AI or prompt engineering, but do not see that on Microsoft. So looking at AI 900 and 102, any advice?

I'm 23 years old, and beginning this year I started working with data and exploring the capabilities of AI, with no prior experience in this field and zero coding skills. I realized I really like what I've been doing, I love exploring ML/DL capabilities, and have a passion for AI & working with data (I am simultaneously studying behavioral science). I taught myself Python, and started exploring Azure and the ML Studio.

So, I just got certified with Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) and Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-900), on my way to passing Azure Data Fundamentals (DP-900) as well. I want to get a good overview on how Azure works, and I'll take it from here to what I find most appealing to me, which is AI. So my next target is Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-100).

What you think about my learning path?

As a rookie in this field, how can I get my foot in the job market with my current certifications? What career opportunities are available for rookies like me? How do these certifications play a role in landing a job in IT?

What are your experiences with hiring freshmen?

Any advice on how I can improve my learning and enhance my skills would be highly appreciated!

Hi Everyone!
I have the Azure Certification Voucher
Microsoft Certification exam voucher expires on June 24, 2024, and you must complete your exam by this date (Voucher worth -- $165)
Certifications covered under this voucher:

1. Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate (Associate level)    Exam: AI-102 Designing and Implementing a Microsoft Azure AI Solution

2. Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals (Foundational level)    Exam: AI-900 Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals

3. Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Scientist Associate (Associate level)    Exam: DP-100 Designing and Implementing a Data Science Solution on Azure

Anyone who needs the voucher, contact me.