2026 comparison
The 2026 AI certification roadmap
Compare certification tracks and applied skills labs across AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Anthropic, and Databricks. Official exams cost $100 to $300. Every CertArena practice set is free and needs no account.
Comparison Matrix
Compare scope, level, official format, and the practice available here.
| Certification track | Level | Blueprint | Official exam format | Practice here | Start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AWS Certified AI Practitioner
AWS · AIF-C01
|
Foundational | Exam Blueprint | 90 minutes, 65 questions | 65 questions | Practice → |
|
Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals
Microsoft · AI-901
|
Foundational | AI-901 Syllabus | Use the current AI-901 study guide when booking | 50 questions | Practice → |
|
Google Cloud Generative AI Leader
Google Cloud · Gen AI Leader
|
Foundational | Gen AI Leader Spec | 90 minutes, 50–60 multiple-choice questions | 60 questions | Practice → |
|
AWS Machine Learning Engineer Associate
AWS · MLA-C01
|
Associate | Exam Blueprint | 130 minutes, 65 questions | 18 questions | Practice → |
|
Databricks Generative AI Engineer Associate
Databricks · GenAI Engineer
|
Associate | Databricks Spec | Check the current Databricks exam guide before booking | 45 questions | Practice → |
|
Claude Certified Architect: Foundations
Anthropic · CCAR-F
|
Foundations | Exam Blueprint | 120 minutes, 60 questions, and a 720 out of 1,000 passing score | 59 questions | Practice → |
|
Claude Certified Developer: Foundations
Anthropic · CCDV-F
|
Foundations | Exam Blueprint | 120 minutes, 53 questions, and a 720 out of 1,000 passing score | 105 questions | Practice → |
|
Forward-Deployed AI Delivery Skills
Independent · FDE-AI
|
Skills lab | Applied Skills Lab | An independent CertArena skills lab | 24 questions | Practice → |
|
OpenAI API Solutions Skills
Independent · OAI-SE
|
Skills lab | Applied Skills Lab | An independent CertArena skills lab, not an OpenAI certification or endorsement | 24 questions | Practice → |
Recommended paths by role
AI application developer
LLM API integration, prompt caching, tool calling, and streaming behavior.
Claude Developer (CCDV-F) →AI solutions architect
Multi-agent orchestration, MCP integration, token economics, and reliability.
Claude Architect (CCAR-F) →Cloud and data engineer
Retrieval, Vector Search, embeddings, and SageMaker or Databricks infrastructure.
AWS MLA-C01 →Business and tech leader
Generative AI opportunities, compliance, risk, and ROI without deep code.
Google Gen AI Leader →Common questions
Which AI certification is best for developers in 2026?
For application developers building with LLMs, Anthropic Claude Certified Developer (CCDV-F) and Databricks Generative AI Engineer Associate offer the strongest direct testing of tool calling, RAG pipelines, and prompt engineering.
Which AI certification is best for cloud architects?
Claude Certified Architect (CCAR-F) tests multi-agent architectures, MCP orchestration, and context limits. AWS Machine Learning Engineer (MLA-C01) focuses on SageMaker deployment and operational pipelines.
What is the passing score for AI certification exams?
Most vendor exams use scaled scoring. Anthropic requires 720 out of 1,000, AWS requires 700 for the AI Practitioner and 720 for the ML Engineer Associate, Microsoft requires 700, and Databricks requires 70% correct. Google does not publish a passing score.
How much do official AI exams cost to take?
As of September 2026: Azure AI-901 and Google Gen AI Leader are $99, AWS AI Practitioner is $100, both Anthropic Foundations exams are $125, AWS ML Engineer Associate is $150, and Databricks Gen AI Engineer Associate is $200. AI CertArena practice sets are free.