AI and machine learning 路 Free
Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901) Exam Preparation
Preparation for Microsoft's AI-901 exam, built on the skills measured as of 15 April 2026: AI workloads and responsible AI, how generative models work and how to choose and deploy one, Microsoft Foundry projects and the model catalogue, prompts and a Python chat client, a single agent, text analysis, speech, vision and image generation, and information extraction with Content Understanding. Preparation for the exam, not the Microsoft certification itself.
Inside the course
From the lessons
The AI-901 exam: what it measures, what changed from AI-900, and how to prepare
Microsoft Learn
AI concepts, AI workloads and the six principles of responsible AI
Microsoft Learn
How generative AI models work: tokens, embeddings, choosing a model and deployment settings
Microsoft Learn
Microsoft Foundry: resources, projects, the model catalogue and deployments
Microsoft Learn
Prompts and a lightweight chat client with the Foundry SDK in Python
Microsoft Learn
Building and testing a single agent in Foundry
Microsoft Mechanics
Lesson frames belong to the creators named in the Credits below and are shown from YouTube.
What you will learn
Name the AI-901 skill areas and their weights and plan your study against them; match a scenario to an AI workload and a responsible AI principle; explain tokens, embeddings and model parameters and choose a model and deployment type; create a Foundry project, deploy a model and test it; write system and user prompts and call a model from a Python client; build and test a single agent; use text analysis, speech, vision, image generation and Content Understanding for a stated task; and sit Microsoft's exam with a method for scenario questions.
- Map your study to the AI-901 skills measured as of 15 April 2026 and their weights
- Match scenarios to AI workloads and to Microsoft's six responsible AI principles
- Explain tokens, embeddings, temperature and top-p, and choose a model and deployment type
- Create a Foundry project, deploy a model and test it in the playground
- Call a deployed model from Python with the Foundry SDK and a well-written system prompt
- Build, test and call a single agent with file search, behind human approval for actions
- Use text analysis, speech, vision and image generation in Foundry for a stated task
- Extract fields with Content Understanding and route them by confidence and grounding
For you
Taking Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901) Exam Preparation from the United States
- Free in the United States, as everywhere, and self-paced: lessons, notes and the final assessment are open at any hour, so your time zone and shift pattern do not matter.
- The optional certificate for learners in the United States is a one-off US$23.99. What you get for it
- Plants across the Americas most often run Allen-Bradley, Siemens and Inductive Automation; each has its own free course to take next.
- See automation and engineering jobs in the United States, and what the industry looks like in Houston, Detroit and Chicago.
- EDWartens also has a regional site for the United States, for classroom training and local support: edwartens.com/us.
The course project 路 about 10 hours
A datasheet desk: Content Understanding extracts motor ratings and a Foundry agent answers spec questions
Build a small assistant for a procurement engineer: a Content Understanding analyzer pulls six rating fields with confidence from motor datasheet PDFs, low-confidence values go to a person, and a single Foundry agent answers questions from the checked datasheets, says when a fact is not there, and declines off-topic requests. Test it with twelve questions and write it up.
Sample document pack, 4 documents, filled in for the scenario
- URSRequirement: motor datasheet desk trial
- RegisterField register: three motor datasheets
- Test reportAgent test record: twelve questions
- Risk registerRisk register: datasheet desk trial
Read inside the course and download as a workbook. The project is optional practice, marked when you submit it; the certificate needs only the modules and the final assessment.
Course content
12 modules 路 20 lessons 路 7h 57m
In order, at whatever pace suits you. Each module ends with a practice task that builds on the last.
- 01The AI-901 exam: what it measures, what changed from AI-900, and how to prepare2 lessons12m
- 02AI concepts, AI workloads and the six principles of responsible AI2 lessons35m
- 03How generative AI models work: tokens, embeddings, choosing a model and deployment settings1 lesson27m
- 04Microsoft Foundry: resources, projects, the model catalogue and deployments1 lesson53m
- 05Prompts and a lightweight chat client with the Foundry SDK in Python1 lesson41m
- 06Building and testing a single agent in Foundry2 lessons28m
- 07Text analysis: key phrases, entities, sentiment and summarisation2 lessons1h 9m
- 08Speech: recognition, synthesis and spoken prompts2 lessons47m
Requirements
- Who it is for
- Beginner. For engineers, IT and OT staff, graduates and students starting with AI on Azure. The exam expects basic Python (variables, functions, lists, dictionaries) and familiarity with Azure resources; no machine learning or AI experience is needed.
- Software
- An Azure subscription: an Azure free account, or Azure for Students where you qualify. The Microsoft Foundry portal in the browser, Python 3 with the azure-ai-projects, azure-identity, azure-ai-textanalytics and azure-cognitiveservices-speech packages, the Azure CLI for sign-in, and Visual Studio Code, all free. Some exercises can be followed in the portal only. Delete resources you no longer use, because some Foundry features are billed by use. What to download, and how
- Hardware
- A computer with a browser; a microphone for the speech module.
Software you need
What to download, where from, what it costs and how to install it. Every link goes to the maker's own site, never a mirror.
An Azure free account, or Azure for Students, is needed for the Foundry, agent, speech and Content Understanding exercises; delete resources after each module. Python runs the short SDK clients; the Azure CLI (az login) signs you in. The concept modules need only a browser.
Required
- 01Free trial: 30 days of credit, some services free for 12 months
Azure free account
Microsoft, in the browser
- Runs on
- Any modern web browser
- Account
- A Microsoft account, a phone number and a credit or debit card for identity checks
New customers get credit to use within 30 days, free monthly amounts of 20+ popular services for 12 months, and 65+ always-free services. The card is only for identity checks: Microsoft does not charge it, though a temporary one-dollar (or equivalent) hold may appear. You are not charged unless you upgrade.
Steps
- 1.Open the Azure free account page and click Try Azure for free.
- 2.Sign in with a Microsoft account or create one.
- 3.Verify your phone number and enter a card for identity verification.
- 4.Accept the agreement and open the Azure portal.
- 5.Set a budget alert in Cost Management before starting labs.
- Students at eligible universities can use Azure for Students instead, which needs no card.
Open Azure free accountazure.microsoft.comAlternatives
- Azure for Students: Credit for 12 months with no credit card, for full-time university students using a school email. Renews each year while you are a student.
- 02Free
Python
Python Software Foundation
- Runs on
- Windows (not Windows 7 or earlier), macOS and Linux. Windows builds for x64, 32-bit and Arm64.
- Account
- None needed
Python is free, open source software. You can use it for learning and for commercial work at no cost.
Steps
- 1.Open python.org/downloads and click the download button for your system.
- 2.On Windows, run the Python install manager (or the classic 64-bit installer) you downloaded.
- 3.If you use the classic installer, tick "Add python.exe to PATH" on the first screen, then click Install Now.
- 4.Open a new Command Prompt or Terminal and run: python --version (on Windows you can also run: py --version).
- 5.Install packages with pip, for example: python -m pip install requests
- pip comes with Python. Run it as python -m pip so it always matches the Python you are using.
- Python.org now recommends the Python install manager on Windows. If it offers to add its folder to PATH, say yes so the python command works everywhere.
- Make a virtual environment for each project: python -m venv .venv
Official download pagepython.orgAlternatives
- Anaconda Distribution: Python with 600+ data science packages and Jupyter already included.
Optional
Useful, not needed to finish the course.
- 03Free
Visual Studio Code
Microsoft
- Runs on
- Windows 64-bit (supported Windows client versions), macOS (latest and two previous releases), Linux (Ubuntu 20.04, Debian 10, RHEL 8, Fedora 36 or later)
- Account
- None needed
- Size
- Less than 200 MB download, under 500 MB installed
Free to download and use. Extensions from the Marketplace each have their own licence.
Steps
- 1.Open code.visualstudio.com/download.
- 2.Pick the installer for your system (on Windows, the User Installer is fine).
- 3.Run the installer. On Windows, tick "Add to PATH" if it is offered.
- 4.Open VS Code and install the extensions your course uses, for example the Python extension.
- Hardware needs are small: a 1.6 GHz processor and 1 GB of RAM.
- On Windows, the "Open with Code" options in the installer let you open folders from File Explorer.
Official download pagecode.visualstudio.com
Checked against each maker's own page on 27 September 2026. Trial lengths and editions change; the maker's page is the final word.
Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901) Exam Preparation at a glance
Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901) Exam Preparation is a free, self-paced online course from EDWartens for engineers, IT and OT staff, graduates and students preparing for Microsoft's AI-901 Azure AI Fundamentals exam worldwide. It has 12 modules and 7h 57m of video lessons by Microsoft Learn, John Savill's Technical Training, Microsoft Mechanics and others, with written notes and worked problems, a practical project with a document pack and a 15-question final assessment (pass mark 60%). Learning is free with an account; an optional certificate with a public verification code is issued when you pass. Last updated 27 September 2026.
All course factsHide course facts
- Price
- Free, for good. No trial, no card. The only paid item is the optional certificate, a small one-off fee.
- Who it is for
- Engineers, IT and OT staff, graduates and students preparing for Microsoft's AI-901 Azure AI Fundamentals exam worldwide
- Format
- 12 self-paced modules, 7h 57m of video, written notes, a practice task per module and one final assessment.
- Level
- Beginner. Beginner. For engineers, IT and OT staff, graduates and students starting with AI on Azure. The exam expects basic Python (variables, functions, lists, dictionaries) and familiarity with Azure resources; no machine learning or AI experience is needed.
- Brand
- Vendor-neutral
- Software
- An Azure subscription: an Azure free account, or Azure for Students where you qualify. The Microsoft Foundry portal in the browser, Python 3 with the azure-ai-projects, azure-identity, azure-ai-textanalytics and azure-cognitiveservices-speech packages, the Azure CLI for sign-in, and Visual Studio Code, all free. Some exercises can be followed in the portal only. Delete resources you no longer use, because some Foundry features are billed by use.
- Hardware
- A computer with a browser; a microphone for the speech module.
- Certificate
- Optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, verifiable by code. Not a vendor credential.
- Video lessons by
- Microsoft Learn, John Savill's Technical Training, Microsoft Mechanics, Azure Innovation Station | Azure AI Agents, Dani Kahil (independent creators, credited below)
- Language
- English
- Last updated
- 27 September 2026
A shareable EDWartens certificate
Finish every module and pass the final assessment, and the optional EDWartens certificate is yours. It carries a unique verification code on a public page anyone can check, so it stands up when a recruiter looks it up. See it below.
The course itself stays free whether or not you ever buy one.
Stuck? Ask a practising engineer
A free course usually means a comment section and hope. This one does not. Every module has an Ask-your-trainer panel that reaches the same engineers who teach our paid programme: people who commission panels for a living, not moderators.
Pairs well with
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PLC programming 路 FreeTIA Portal: Build a MachineOne machine, start to finish. Take a bottle filling line from a written specification and an I/O list to a structured S7-1200 program with a fill station, a capper, a reject sorter and an operator screen with alarms, then test it against a written record and archive it for hand-over. The lessons are the reference; the machine is yours, and it is what you submit.
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Learner reviews
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Reviews here are written only by learners who have finished every module of Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901) Exam Preparation, and they are published exactly as written. Finish the course and yours will be the first.
Common questions
Is this the Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals certification?
No. This is a free preparation course for Microsoft's AI-901 exam. The Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals certification is awarded only by Microsoft after you pass its proctored AI-901 exam, which you book and pay for with Microsoft on Microsoft Learn. EDWartens is not affiliated with Microsoft, and the EDWartens certificate is a certificate of completion for this course.
Who is this AI-901 preparation course for?
Engineers, IT and OT staff, graduates and students who want a first Microsoft AI credential, including those in companies worldwide that run on Microsoft. The exam expects basic Python and familiarity with Azure resources; no AI experience is needed.
What changed from AI-900 to AI-901?
AI-900 retired on 30 June 2026 and Azure AI Fundamentals now requires AI-901. The new exam is more hands-on: implementing AI solutions with Microsoft Foundry is 55 to 60 percent of it, it expects Python, and it adds generative and agentic AI and Content Understanding. An AI-900 certification already earned stays valid.
What does the AI-901 exam measure?
Two skill areas, as measured on 15 April 2026: identify AI concepts and capabilities (40 to 45 percent) and implement AI solutions by using Microsoft Foundry (55 to 60 percent). Check the study guide on Microsoft Learn before you book, because Microsoft updates the outline.
Is the course free to learn?
Yes. Every module, the notes, the worked problems, the project and the final assessment are free. Only the EDWartens certificate is paid, if you want one. The Microsoft exam is booked and paid for separately with Microsoft.
Do I need an Azure subscription?
For the hands-on modules, yes: an Azure free account, or Azure for Students if you are eligible, is enough. The concept modules and the notes need only a browser. Delete resources after each module so nothing keeps running.
How long does the Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals course take?
About 13 hours of video, notes and practice at your own pace, of which about 8 hours is video, most of it Microsoft Learn's own AI-901 series. The optional datasheet project takes about 10 hours more.
What should I take next?
Go on to the Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer (AI-103) Exam Preparation course for the associate-level developer exam, or to AI Agents and MCP for Engineers and Generative AI and LLM Foundations for deeper hands-on work.
What you walk away with
Your certificate for Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901) Exam Preparation
Finish the course, pass the final, and this is the document with your name on it.
Verifiable by anyone
Adds to LinkedIn in one click
QR code on the certificate
Names what you can do
A permanent link
Earned, not attended
Learning is free. The certificate is optional.
Add it now and pay only when you have finished the course, or come back for it later. One-off, US$23.99, with a receipt.
Issued by EDWartens, the training division of Wartens, as a Certificate of Completion for this self-paced course. Sold by Wartens Ltd (England and Wales). It is not a vendor certification, a university award or a CPD-accredited activity, and it does not certify competence on live equipment. Delivered electronically; see the refund policy.
Credits
Who made the video lessons
The video lessons in this course were created by the people below, not by EDWartens. Every lesson streams from its creator's own YouTube channel; EDWartens neither hosts nor sells that footage, and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens and do not endorse this course. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.
- Microsoft Learnthe fifteen-part AI-901 Introduction to AI in Azure video series (AI concepts, Foundry, generative AI and agents, text analysis, speech, computer vision and information extraction, each as concepts and as hands-on in Azure) and the responsible AI principles episode
- John Savill's Technical Trainingthe AI-901 study cram used for the full review before the exam
- Microsoft Mechanicsthe explainer on Foundry Agent Service and Microsoft Agent Framework
- Azure Innovation Station | Azure AI Agentsthe walkthrough of building an agent from scratch in Microsoft Foundry
- Dani Kahilthe beginner overview of Document Intelligence and Content Understanding in Foundry Tools
If you are one of these creators and would like a lesson removed or credited differently, write to info@wartens.com.