Microsoft RETIRES 15 certifications and replaces them with AI exams
Microsoft is retiring or replacing 15 certifications across Azure, Azure AI, Data, Power Platform, and Windows Server in 2026. This video covers every retirement date, every replacement exam, brand new certifications launching in beta, and what you should do whether you're currently studying, already certified, or working for a Microsoft partner.
This is the biggest change to the Microsoft certification portfolio in years. Whether you're currently studying for an exam, already certified and wondering what happens next, or working for a Microsoft partner that needs certifications for their designation, this video has you covered. You'll learn what a certification retirement actually means for your transcript, the difference between a retiring exam and a retiring certification, and a prerequisite trap that could cost you if you're going for an Expert-level cert.
🔗 Links mentioned in this video:
Microsoft Tech Community blog (AI-300 / MLOps): https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/b...
Microsoft Tech Community blog (AI business solutions teaser): https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/b...
Microsoft course retirement announcements: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/b...
PL-600 / MB-700 prediction video: • Is Microsoft Replacing PL-600 and MB-700 w...
SC-730 Cybersecurity Business Professional video: • Microsoft Is Building a Cybersecurity Cert...
AB-210 Build AI-Powered Sales Solutions video: • Microsoft’s Next Dynamics 365 Cert: AB-210...
AB-610 / AB-620 Copilot Studio certifications video: • Copilot Studio Certs Are Coming: AB-610 vs...
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Chapters:
0:00 What's changing with Microsoft certifications
1:28 Quick overview of all changes
7:00 What does a certification retirement mean?
8:55 Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100)
9:41 DP-100 vs AI-300: what changed
10:33 Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102)
11:10 Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204)
11:50 Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500)
12:31 Power Platform Solution Architect Expert (PL-600)
13:11 Dynamics 365 Finance and Ops Solution Architect (MB-700)
14:28 Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management (MB-335)
15:01 Almost confirmed retirements: the Reddit source
16:43 Dynamics 365 Customer Experience Analyst (MB-280)
17:22 Power Platform Functional Consultant (PL-200)
17:55 Power Automate RPA Developer (PL-500)
18:47 How Applied Skills retirement works
19:19 APL-2011 and APL-4010 (retiring April 15!)
20:57 APL-7003: Model-Driven Apps
21:35 Retiring exams vs retiring certifications
22:29 Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-900 to AI-901)
23:32 Windows Server Hybrid Admin (AZ-800 and AZ-801 to AZ-802)
24:42 New certifications and replacements overview
26:28 Brand new certifications (DP-750, DP-800, SC-730, AB-210, AB-410, AB-420)
31:36 My thoughts and what this means for you
36:07 The prerequisite trap you need to know
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