The direct answer: Microsoft’s AB series certifications are a family of nine role-based AI credentials covering every level of AI competency from fundamentals through expert. AB-900 is for IT administrators. AB-730 and AB-731 are for business users and leaders. AB-100 is for expert architects. AB-410, AB-620, AB-210, AB-250, and AB-610 cover Power Platform, agent engineering, Dynamics 365 Sales, and Contact Center roles. All launched in 2026 as Microsoft’s most significant certification portfolio overhaul in a decade.
What Are Microsoft AB Series Certifications?
Microsoft AB series certifications are a new family of role-based credentials that validate AI, Copilot, and agentic AI skills across every organizational role – from IT administration through business productivity through solution architecture. The AB prefix stands for AI Business, signaling that these certifications embed AI into real business roles rather than treating it as a separate technical specialization.
Microsoft launched the initial four AB certifications in early 2026 and expanded the series through April, May, and June 2026 with five additional credentials covering Power Platform, enterprise agent engineering, and Dynamics 365 AI roles. Together, they form the most comprehensive AI certification portfolio Microsoft has ever released.
Complete AB Series Certifications Overview: All 9 in One Table
| Cert | Name | Level | Cost | Duration | Available | Best For |
| AB-900 | Copilot and Agent Administration Fundamentals | Fundamentals | $165 | 45 min | Now | IT administrators managing Microsoft 365 Copilot |
| AB-730 | AI Business Professional | Associate | $99 | 45 min | Now | Business users using Copilot daily |
| AB-731 | AI Transformation Leader | Associate | $99 | 45 min | Now | Leaders driving AI adoption across organizations |
| AB-100 | Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect | Expert | $165 | 100 min | Now | Solution architects designing enterprise agentic AI |
| AB-410 | Intelligent Applications Builder Associate | Associate | $165 | TBC | June 2026 | Power Platform professionals building AI-first apps |
| AB-620 | AI Agent Builder Associate | Associate | $165 | TBC | June 2026 | Developers building enterprise Copilot Studio agents |
| AB-210 | Dynamics 365 Sales AI Consultant Associate | Associate | $165 | TBC | June 2026 | Dynamics 365 Sales professionals adding AI skills |
| AB-610 | Copilot Studio Agent Maker | Associate | $165 | TBC | TBC 2026 | Makers building low-code agents in Copilot Studio |
| AB-250 | Dynamics 365 Contact Center AI Engineer Associate | Associate | $165 | TBC | August 2026 | Contact center engineers building CCaaS solutions |
The Four Core AB Series Certifications: Live Now
AB-900: Copilot and Agent Administration Fundamentals
AB-900 is the entry-level fundamentals certification for IT professionals who deploy, configure, secure, and govern Microsoft 365 Copilot and AI agents across an enterprise environment. It replaced MS-900 (Microsoft 365 Fundamentals), which retired on March 31, 2026.
| Detail | Information |
| Exam cost | $165 USD |
| Duration | 45 minutes |
| Passing score | 700 out of 1000 |
| Expiration | Never expires |
| Replaces | MS-900 (retired March 31, 2026) |
What AB-900 covers:
| Domain | Weight | What You Do |
| Microsoft 365 fundamentals and security | 30-35% | Admin center navigation, Exchange Online, SharePoint, Teams, Microsoft Entra ID, Zero Trust, Defender XDR, MFA, SSO |
| Data protection and governance for M365 and Copilot | 35-40% | Microsoft Purview, DLP, sensitivity labels, insider risk, DSPM for AI, Compliance Manager, SharePoint Advanced Management |
| Administrative tasks for Copilot and agents | 25-30% | Copilot licensing, enabling and disabling features, billing, prompt governance, agent lifecycle management |
Real beta exam experience: Candidates who sat AB-900 in beta consistently reported the exam was harder than expected, with Purview content appearing far more than anticipated. One beta tester described it as feeling closer to a modernized MS-900 with significantly more Purview and Microsoft 365 awareness than the exam description suggests. Study Purview deeply before any other domain.
Who AB-900 is for: IT administrators, Microsoft 365 help desk professionals, and digital workplace teams managing Copilot deployment at enterprise scale.
For the complete preparation guide including domain breakdown, study timeline by experience level, and common exam mistakes, our full AB-900 certification guide covers every detail.
AB-730: AI Business Professional
AB-730 validates that you can use Microsoft 365 Copilot and generative AI tools effectively, responsibly, and productively in daily business work. It is not a technical exam. It is a practical productivity and judgment exam for business users.
| Detail | Information |
| Exam cost | $99 USD |
| Duration | 45 minutes |
| Passing score | 700 out of 1000 |
| Expiration | Annual renewal required |
| Prerequisite | None |
What AB-730 covers:
| Domain | Weight | What You Do |
| Generative AI fundamentals | 20-25% | How LLMs work, responsible AI principles, Copilot privacy and data flow, grounding concepts |
| Manage prompts and conversations | 35-40% | Prompt engineering, referencing resources, saving prompts, managing conversation history, basic agents |
| Draft and analyze business content | 35-40% | Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, Copilot Pages, Notebooks, Researcher agent |
Real beta exam experience: Candidates described AB-730 as grounded in customer scenarios that test judgment rather than feature recall. It focuses on aligning AI to business value and on understanding when to use each Copilot capability. Questions are scenario-based, not definition-based.
Who AB-730 is for: Business analysts, project managers, marketing professionals, HR professionals, operations specialists, and any business user who regularly works in Microsoft 365.
For the complete comparison of AB-730 and AB-731 including which one is right for your role, our AB-730 vs AB-731 guide covers every difference with a full decision framework.
AB-731: AI Transformation Leader
AB-731 validates that you can lead AI adoption across an organization — building AI strategy, governing AI deployments responsibly, and running change management programs that make AI initiatives succeed at scale.
| Detail | Information |
| Exam cost | $99 USD |
| Duration | 45 minutes |
| Passing score | 700 out of 1000 |
| Expiration | Annual renewal required |
| Prerequisite | None |
What AB-731 covers:
| Domain | Weight | What You Do |
| Identify business value of generative AI | 35-40% | ROI and productivity measurement, use case identification, AI strategy development, responsible AI principles |
| Identify benefits and capabilities of Microsoft AI | 35-40% | Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot Studio, Azure AI services, Microsoft Foundry, licensing evaluation, build vs buy decisions |
| Identify implementation and adoption strategy | 20-25% | Organizational readiness, change management, stakeholder communication, training programs, governance frameworks, measuring adoption |
Real beta exam experience: One beta tester who sat all three exams (AB-900, AB-730, AB-731) described AB-731 as distinctly different from the first two — heavier focus on Azure AI services and Azure AI Foundry, with service selection for specific business scenarios being the most challenging area. Clear emphasis on Copilot licensing and organizational AI adoption. Microsoft Learn was not accessible during the beta session.
Who AB-731 is for: Business leaders, senior managers, consultants, transformation specialists, and anyone accountable for driving AI adoption decisions across a team or organization.
AB-100: Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect
AB-100 is the expert-level certification of the AB series. It validates your ability to plan, design, deploy, and govern enterprise-scale agentic AI solutions using Copilot Studio, Microsoft Foundry, Dynamics 365, Power Platform, and Azure AI services.
| Detail | Information |
| Exam cost | $165 USD |
| Duration | 100 minutes |
| Passing score | 700 out of 1000 |
| Expiration | Annual renewal required |
| Prerequisite | Active associate-level Microsoft certification required |
| Available | Generally available January 2026 |
What AB-100 covers:
| Domain | Weight | What You Do |
| Plan AI-powered business solutions | 25-30% | Identify agent use cases, assess data readiness, ROI analysis, Cloud Adoption Framework, environment strategy, responsible AI governance |
| Design agentic AI solutions | 40-45% | Multi-agent solutions across Foundry and Copilot Studio, A2A and MCP protocols, RAG design, model routing, cross-platform AI integrations, secure agentic architectures |
| Deploy and govern AI solutions | 25-30% | Production deployment, monitoring and telemetry, evaluation frameworks, LLMOps, continuous improvement, compliance and audit trails |
AB-100 prerequisite warning for 2026: Several qualifying certifications are retiring this year. MB-240 retires June 30, MB-280 retires July 31, PL-200 retires August 31, and PL-500 retires June 30. If your only qualifying prerequisite is a retiring certification, plan accordingly. Your prerequisite must be active when AB-100 is issued.
Who AB-100 is for: Experienced Dynamics 365 and Power Platform architects, senior consultants transitioning to AI practice leadership, and professionals replacing retiring PL-600 or MB-700 credentials.
For the complete guide to AB-100 including the full prerequisite list, exam domains, preparation timeline, and salary data, our AB-100 certification guide covers every detail.
The New 2026 AB Series Additions: Launching April Through August
The four core AB series certifications launched in early 2026. Microsoft then announced five additional AB series credentials rolling out from April through August 2026. The competitor blog was written in December 2025 and does not cover any of these.
AB-410: Intelligent Applications Builder Associate
AB-410 is for Power Platform professionals who build intelligent applications where Power Apps, Power Automate, Power Pages, and Copilot Studio work together as one AI-first solution.
| Detail | Information |
| Beta launched | April 2026 |
| General availability | June 2026 |
| Official course | AB-410T00 launches June 5, 2026 |
| Replaces | PL-200 (retiring August 31, 2026) |
AB-410 is the official replacement for PL-200. Power Platform functional consultants, business analysts, and app makers who held or were pursuing PL-200 should plan their transition to AB-410. For the complete comparison of what PL-200 knowledge transfers and what is genuinely new, our PL-200 vs AB-410 guide covers the full transition.
AB-620: AI Agent Builder Associate
AB-620 is for professional developers, AI engineers, and architects who build enterprise-grade Copilot Studio agents with complex enterprise system integrations, multi-agent orchestration, and advanced technical capabilities.
| Detail | Information |
| Beta launched | April 2026 |
| General availability | June 2026 |
| Beta discount | Code AB620Sunny26 — 80% off, first 300 candidates, deadline May 12, 2026 |
| Self-paced training | Rolling out from April 23, 2026 |
AB-620 is a brand new certification with no retiring exam as its predecessor. It fills a gap that did not previously exist — a Microsoft-issued credential specifically for enterprise-grade Copilot Studio agent engineering. For the complete comparison of AB-620 and AB-410 including how to choose between them, our AB-620 vs AB-410 guide covers the full decision.
AB-610: Copilot Studio Agent Maker
AB-610 is positioned between AB-410 and AB-620 for makers and IT professionals who build agents using common data sources including SharePoint, OneDrive, websites, and Dataverse — without the enterprise integration complexity that AB-620 requires.
| Detail | Information |
| Status | Announced — beta date not yet confirmed as of April 2026 |
| Target audience | Low-code makers and IT professionals |
| Key difference from AB-620 | Common data sources only vs enterprise systems like SAP and ServiceNow |
AB-210: Dynamics 365 Sales AI Consultant Associate
AB-210 is for modern sellers and Dynamics 365 Sales professionals who design and operationalize AI-powered sales solutions covering Copilot-driven productivity, AI-powered opportunity research, agent configuration, and lead-to-cash AI workflows.
| Detail | Information |
| Beta launched | May 2026 |
| General availability | June 2026 |
| Replaces | MB-280 (retiring July 31, 2026) for the Sales track |
| Official course | AB-210T00 launches June 26, 2026 |
AB-210 replaces MB-280 for the Dynamics 365 Sales audience. Importantly, AB-210 does not cover Customer Insights — Microsoft has confirmed that scope was intentionally removed in favor of a Sales-only AI focus. For the complete breakdown, our MB-280 vs AB-210 guide covers the transition in full detail.
AB-250: Dynamics 365 Contact Center AI Engineer Associate
AB-250 is for contact center engineers and solution professionals who design and run modern Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) solutions with Dynamics 365 Contact Center and service-oriented autonomous agents.
| Detail | Information |
| Beta launches | June 2026 |
| General availability | August 2026 |
| Target audience | Contact center engineers, CCaaS solution architects |
| Key focus | Dynamics 365 Contact Center, autonomous service agents, CCaaS design |
AB-250 is an entirely new certification with no retiring predecessor. It fills a gap for contact center professionals who build and manage modern AI-powered customer service operations using Microsoft’s Dynamics 365 Contact Center platform.
Which AB Series Certification Should You Take?
| Your Role | Best Starting Point |
| IT administrator managing Microsoft 365 and Copilot | AB-900 |
| Business user wanting to use Copilot more effectively | AB-730 |
| Manager or leader accountable for AI adoption | AB-731 |
| Power Platform functional consultant or app maker | AB-410 |
| Professional developer building enterprise Copilot Studio agents | AB-620 |
| Low-code maker building agents with common data sources | AB-610 (when available) |
| Dynamics 365 Sales consultant adding AI skills | AB-210 |
| Contact center engineer building AI-powered CCaaS solutions | AB-250 |
| Solution architect designing enterprise agentic AI systems | AB-100 |
| New to AI entirely — start before any of the above | AI-901 (Azure AI Fundamentals) |
| IT admin who needs both governance and business strategy | AB-900 then AB-731 |
| Business user who wants both productivity and leadership credentials | AB-730 then AB-731 |
| Full-stack AI solutions practitioner | AB-410 or AB-620 then AB-100 |
Is There a Progression Path Through the AB Series?
There is a logical progression through the AB series though Microsoft does not require you to follow it in sequence. Each certification can be taken independently based on your current role and experience.
Suggested progression by career track:
IT Administration track: AB-900 as your foundation, then AB-731 if you are moving into governance and strategy leadership.
Business professional track: AB-730 for practical Copilot skills, then AB-731 for organizational leadership credibility.
Power Platform track: AB-410 for intelligent application building, then AB-620 if you want to specialize in enterprise agent engineering, then AB-100 for expert-level architecture.
Dynamics 365 track: AB-210 for Sales AI consulting, AB-250 for Contact Center AI engineering, then AB-100 for expert architecture.
Expert track: Any active associate-level certification earns you the prerequisite for AB-100. The most natural associate-level prerequisites are AB-410, AB-620, or any active Dynamics 365 associate credential.
AB Series vs Previous Microsoft Certifications: What Changed
The AB series represents a fundamental shift in how Microsoft designs certifications. Understanding this shift helps you appreciate why Microsoft retired credentials like PL-200, MS-900, MB-280, and others in 2026.
| Factor | Old Microsoft Certifications | AB Series Certifications |
| Design philosophy | Product-based — learn this tool | Role-based — achieve this outcome |
| AI content | Optional or minimal | Central to every credential |
| Agentic AI | Not covered | Core across every level |
| Business impact focus | Technical implementation | Business value and ROI |
| Copilot coverage | Add-on feature | Core platform throughout |
| Who they target | Technical professionals primarily | Business users, leaders, and technical professionals equally |
Microsoft’s own description captures this shift: the old exams were about “learn this tool, follow these steps, pass this exam.” The AB series exams are about strategy, designing intelligent systems, and guiding real business transformations.
For the complete picture of every certification Microsoft retired in 2026 and what replaced each one, our Microsoft certifications retiring in 2026 guide covers every deadline and replacement.
Salary and Career Context for AB Series Certifications
| Certification | Role | Average US Salary |
| AB-900 | Microsoft 365 Administrator with Copilot specialization | $65,000 to $95,000 |
| AB-730 | AI Business Professional | $70,000 to $105,000 |
| AB-731 | AI Transformation Leader | $100,000 to $145,000 |
| AB-410 | Intelligent Applications Builder | $95,000 to $130,000 |
| AB-620 | AI Agent Builder | $110,000 to $145,000 |
| AB-210 | Dynamics 365 Sales AI Consultant | $100,000 to $135,000 |
| AB-100 | Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect | $140,000 to $180,000 |
How AB Series Certifications Fit Alongside Other 2026 Microsoft Credentials
The AB series sits alongside Microsoft’s broader 2026 certification wave across Azure, security, and data. Understanding where AB fits versus other new credentials prevents costly preparation mistakes.
| If Your Work Involves | Take This | Not This |
| Building ML models and GenAI in production | AI-300 (MLOps Engineer) | AB-100 |
| Developing AI apps and agents via Foundry for Azure | AI-103 (Azure AI Apps Developer) | AB-410 |
| Securing cloud and AI environments | SC-500 (Cloud and AI Security Engineer) | AB-731 |
| Azure Databricks data pipelines | DP-750 (Databricks Data Engineer) | Any AB cert |
| Microsoft 365 Copilot daily productivity | AB-730 | AI-103 |
| Enterprise Power Platform + agent solutions | AB-410 or AB-620 | AI-103 |
For a comparison of how AI-300 and AI-103 differ from each other and from the AB series, our AI-300 vs AI-103 guide covers the full Azure AI certification landscape.
FAQS
What are Microsoft AB series certifications?
Microsoft AB series certifications are a family of role-based AI credentials launched in 2026 covering every organizational level from IT administration through expert architecture. The series includes AB-900, AB-730, AB-731, AB-100, AB-410, AB-620, AB-210, AB-610, and AB-250. All focus on AI, Copilot, and agentic AI skills across business and technical roles.
How many AB series certifications are there?
As of April 2026, Microsoft has announced nine AB series certifications. Four are generally available now (AB-900, AB-730, AB-731, AB-100). Four are in beta or launching soon (AB-410, AB-620, AB-210, AB-250). AB-610 has been announced with no confirmed beta date yet.
Which AB series certification should I take first?
It depends entirely on your role. IT administrators start with AB-900. Business users start with AB-730. Leaders start with AB-731. Power Platform professionals start with AB-410. Enterprise agent developers start with AB-620. Solution architects start with AB-100 after earning an associate-level prerequisite.
Do AB series certifications expire?
AB-900 does not expire. AB-730, AB-731, AB-100, AB-410, AB-620, AB-210, and AB-250 all require annual renewal through a free online assessment on Microsoft Learn.
Is AB-900 the same as MS-900?
No. AB-900 replaced MS-900, which retired March 31, 2026, but it is a significantly different exam. AB-900 is harder, covers Microsoft Purview governance and Copilot administration deeply, and costs $165 compared to MS-900’s $99. Your existing MS-900 credential remains valid permanently but AB-900 is the current certification for new candidates.
Can I take AB-730 and AB-731 together?
Yes. There is no formal prerequisite for either. Both can be taken independently. Many professionals pursue both to demonstrate complete AI business competency across individual productivity and organizational leadership dimensions.
What is the difference between AB-730 and AB-731?
AB-730 validates personal Copilot productivity and AI tool usage skills. AB-731 validates organizational AI adoption, strategy, governance, and change management skills. AB-730 is for the individual contributor. AB-731 is for the leader accountable for AI outcomes. Our AB-730 vs AB-731 guide covers every difference with a full decision framework.
What is required to take AB-100?
AB-100 requires at least one active associate-level Microsoft certification from a qualifying list that includes Dynamics 365 and Power Platform credentials. The full prerequisite list and 2026 retirement risk warnings are covered in our AB-100 certification guide.
What is the difference between AB-620 and AB-410?
AB-620 is for enterprise agent developers building complex Copilot Studio agents with MCP, A2A, and enterprise system integrations. AB-410 is for Power Platform professionals building intelligent applications where apps, flows, pages, and agents work together as one solution. Our AB-620 vs AB-410 guide covers the full comparison.
What replaces PL-200 in the AB series?
AB-410 (Intelligent Applications Builder Associate) officially replaces PL-200 (Power Platform Functional Consultant Associate), which retires August 31, 2026. Our PL-200 vs AB-410 guide covers the complete transition.
Is AB-100 the same level as CCIE or PL-600?
AB-100 is Microsoft’s expert-level certification in the AB series, equivalent in positioning to PL-600 and MB-700, both of which retired June 30, 2026. Microsoft explicitly recommends AB-100 as the forward-facing expert credential for professionals who held those retiring credentials.
What is AB-250 and when is it available?
AB-250 is the Dynamics 365 Contact Center AI Engineer Associate certification for contact center engineers building CCaaS solutions with Dynamics 365 Contact Center and autonomous service agents. Beta launches June 2026 with general availability expected August 2026.
