AI-103 guide
Azure AI apps and agents, Foundry, retrieval, tools, orchestration, safety, and monitoring.
AI-103 is now the cleaner study target for Microsoft Azure AI apps and agents. AI-102 retired on June 30, 2026, and Microsoft Partner Center says Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate (AI-103) replaced Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102) on June 19, 2026.
Accuracy note: AI-102 is now a legacy comparison target. New study should point at AI-103 unless you are reviewing an already-earned AI-102 credential.
Microsoft Learn lists AI-102 under recently retired exams with a June 30, 2026 retirement date and says recently retired exams can no longer be taken. Microsoft Partner Center says Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102) retired as of June 30, 2026 and was replaced by Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate (AI-103) on June 19, 2026. AI-103 is now the practical study path for new Azure AI apps and agents learners.
| Topic | AI-103 | AI-102 |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Current Azure AI apps and agents path | Retired on June 30, 2026 |
| Audience | Azure AI engineers building, managing, and deploying agents and AI solutions that use Microsoft Foundry | Azure AI engineers building, managing, and deploying AI solutions across development, deployment, integration, maintenance, tuning, and monitoring |
| Language expectation | Official page specifically calls out Python experience | Official study guide says candidates can use languages such as Python and C# plus REST APIs and SDKs |
| Skills emphasis | Plan and manage Azure AI, implement generative AI and agentic solutions, plus vision, text analysis, and information extraction | Plan and manage Azure AI, implement generative AI, implement an agentic solution, plus vision, NLP, and knowledge mining or information extraction |
| Agent focus | Higher: generative AI and agentic solutions are 30-35% of the exam | Lower but still present: generative AI is 15-20% and agentic solutions are 5-10% |
| Practice link | AI-103 practice | AI-102 legacy practice |
The official Microsoft Learn page says AI-103 validates expertise in designing, developing, and deploying advanced Azure AI solutions using Python and Microsoft Foundry. The study guide says the audience builds, manages, and deploys agents and AI solutions that take advantage of Microsoft Foundry, and the largest skill block is implementing generative AI and agentic solutions. Start with the AI-103 guide or jump into practice.
AI-102 still helps explain the classic Azure AI Engineer Associate lane, including broader Azure AI solution delivery, natural language processing, knowledge mining, information extraction, REST APIs, SDKs, Python, and C#. But the exam retired on June 30, 2026, so AI-102 practice should be treated as legacy review, not a new certification target.
AI-103 reads like the newer Foundry-centered apps-and-agents lane. AI-102 reads like the broader retired Azure AI engineer lane that still includes generative AI and agents but keeps more weight on natural language processing, knowledge mining, and classic service implementation breadth. If your day-to-day work is drifting toward agents, orchestration, grounding, and newer Foundry-first delivery, AI-103 is the cleaner topical fit.
The daily practice pages are the fastest way to feel the difference in emphasis before you spend more study time.
Azure AI apps and agents, Foundry, retrieval, tools, orchestration, safety, and monitoring.
Compare Azure AI apps and agents against the GitHub agentic AI developer lane.
Yes for the practical Microsoft credential path. Microsoft Partner Center says Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102) retired as of June 30, 2026 and was replaced by Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate (AI-103) on June 19, 2026.
Choose AI-103 for new Azure AI apps and agents study. AI-102 can no longer be taken after its June 30, 2026 retirement date.
Yes. Microsoft Learn describes Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate as the credential for designing, developing, and deploying advanced Azure AI solutions using Python and Microsoft Foundry.
AI-102 retired on June 30, 2026. Microsoft Learn lists it under recently retired exams and says recently retired exams can no longer be taken.
AI-103 is the agent-forward path: Microsoft Learn describes the role as building, managing, and deploying agents and AI solutions that use Microsoft Foundry.
AI-102 is broader across NLP, speech, knowledge mining, and older Azure AI service implementation patterns.
Microsoft, Azure, and related exam names are trademarks of Microsoft. dotCreds is not affiliated with Microsoft.
Flexible search understands Microsoft exam names, Azure AI, Foundry, agents, and related terms.