AB-100
AB-100: Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect
Everything you need for Microsoft exam AB-100: format, passing score, the three skill areas, the associate prerequisite, a study plan and free questions.
- Passing score
- 700 / 1000
- Level
- Expert
- Languages
- 13
- Also required
- 1 associate cert
AB-100, Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect, is Microsoft’s expert-level exam for the person who decides how AI agents fit into a business: which processes become agent-driven, which Microsoft platform each agent is built on, how it is secured and governed, and whether it pays for itself. It is the single required exam for the Microsoft Certified: Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect Expert credential.
The exam alone does not award that credential. Microsoft also requires you to hold at least one qualifying associate-level certification, from a list that includes AB-620, AI-103, several Dynamics 365 consultant and developer certifications, and Power Platform certifications. See prerequisites for how that works.
Unlike the builder exams, AB-100 is about design judgement. You are expected to choose between Copilot Studio, Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Foundry, to weigh build, buy and extend, to plan application lifecycle management, and to design security and responsible AI controls, across Dynamics 365, Power Platform and Azure.
What the exam covers
| Skill area | Weight |
|---|---|
| Plan AI-powered business solutions | 25–30% |
| Design AI-powered business solutions | 25–30% |
| Deploy AI-powered business solutions | 40–45% |
Despite the name, “Deploy” is not a build-and-click domain. It covers monitoring and tuning, testing, ALM, and the security, governance and compliance design for agents. It is the largest block and the one most candidates under-prepare, because it is about operating AI rather than creating it.
Where to start
Read the exam format first, especially the note about the English update on October 14, 2026. Then check the prerequisites, see how AB-100 compares with AB-620 if you are choosing between the architect and the agent-builder route, and follow the study plan.
AB-100 guides
- AB-100 exam format: questions, score and costThe AB-100 format: passing score 700, 13 languages, the three domain weights, the October 14, 2026 update and what is and is not published.
- AB-100 vs AB-620: architect or builder?AB-100 is the expert architect exam for agentic AI design, AB-620 the associate builder exam for Copilot Studio agents. How they differ and how they link.
- AB-100 study plan: pass in 4 weeksA four-week AB-100 study plan: planning and strategy, design, then deployment, security and governance, with a practical task for every week.
- Free AB-100 sample questions with answersFive free AB-100 practice questions on build or buy, multi-agent design, monitoring, ALM and prompt manipulation, each with an explained answer.
- AB-100 Plan AI solutions explainedThe AB-100 Plan domain explained: requirements and grounding data, AI strategy, prompt libraries, build or buy decisions, ROI and model routing.
- AB-100 Design AI solutions explainedThe AB-100 Design domain explained: agent types, Copilot Studio design choices, MCP and Foundry extensibility, and prebuilt Dynamics 365 agents.
- AB-100 Deploy AI solutions explainedThe AB-100 Deploy domain explained: monitoring and tuning, testing agents, ALM for agents and models, and responsible AI, security and governance.
- AB-100 prerequisites: what you need firstWhat AB-100 requires: passing the exam plus one associate certification, which associate exams count, and the experience Microsoft expects.
- AB-100 exam tips: how to answer architect questionsAB-100 exam tips: how to read architect scenarios, pick the lightest option, spot governance traps and use the October 2026 outline update.
- Free AB-100 practice test: 20 questionsA free 20-question AB-100 practice test on AI strategy, agent design, extensibility, monitoring, testing, ALM and security, with explained answers.
- AB-100 study resourcesWhat to study for AB-100: the official study guide, Microsoft's instructor-led course, product documentation to read, and a hands-on design exercise.
- AB-100 cheat sheetA one-page AB-100 reference: the three skill areas, which design answers which requirement, agent types, ALM, security and common traps.
- Is AB-100 hard? Exam difficulty explainedHow hard AB-100 really is: an expert-level architect exam where breadth across Microsoft platforms and design judgement matter more than configuration.
- Is AB-100 worth it? Who should take itIs AB-100 worth taking? Who it suits, what Microsoft requires alongside it, what it costs and when another Microsoft exam fits you better.
- AB-100 career: architect role and next stepsWhat AB-100 leads to: Microsoft's Solution Architect job role, why an associate certification is also required, and which exams make sense after it.
- AB-100 renewal and retake rulesHow the AB-100 expert credential renews: one-year validity, free six-month window, the associate prerequisite renewing separately, and retake waits.
- AB-100 study scenarios: three profilesHow to study for AB-100 if you hold a Dynamics 365 associate, an AB-620 pass or no associate yet: three planning profiles weighted by the Deploy domain.