AI Wisdom

Microsoft expert level

Microsoft Certified: Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect Expert

Code
AB-100
Length
100 minutes, or 120 if the exam includes labs
Pass mark
700 out of 1,000
Price
Set by country, shown when you book
Valid for
12 months, renewed by a free online assessment
Study time, our estimate
70 to 100 hours

The senior Microsoft architect credential for AI. It also absorbed the retired PL-600 and MB-700 architect certifications, so it covers Dynamics 365 and Power Platform as well as Foundry. An Azure-only engineer will find a lot of it unfamiliar. Business case and strategy are the largest domain.

Take it if

You design AI across Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, Copilot Studio and Foundry.

Skip it if

You only work in Azure code. AI-103 fits better, and the Dynamics content here would be a detour.

Before you start

Check yourself against this list first. If something is missing, close that gap before you pay for an exam.

  • One qualifying associate certificationRequired for the Expert title. AI-103, AI-300 and PL-400 all count, among others. Learn more
  • Architect experience across Microsoft business appsDynamics 365 and Power Platform are in scope, not just Azure.
  • You have built an agent in Copilot StudioBuild one, then one in Foundry, and compare. Learn more

Helpful first: AI-103AI-300

All exam details
Format
Usually 40 to 60 questions, per Microsoft
Length
100 minutes, or 120 if the exam includes labs
Pass mark
700 out of 1,000
Price
Set by country, shown when you book
Valid for
12 months, renewed by a free online assessment
Delivery
Pearson VUE, online or test center
Prerequisite
One qualifying associate certification, such as AI-103, AI-300, PL-400 or AB-620
If you fail
Wait 24 hours, then 14 days

What the exam covers

  • Plan AI-powered business solutions35–40%
  • Design AI-powered business solutions30–35%
  • Deploy AI-powered business solutions20–25%

What to focus on

  • When to use Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot Studio or Foundry, and when to build, buy or extend.
  • Agent types: task, autonomous, and prompt and response.
  • Cost cases: ROI criteria, total cost of ownership, and routing requests with a model router.
  • Open protocols: MCP in Copilot Studio, and Agent2Agent.
  • ALM for agents, custom models and Dynamics 365 AI features.
  • Security for agents: prompt manipulation, data residency, grounding access control and audit trails.
Everything on one mapEvery topic and key idea in this certification.
mindmap
  root((AB-100))
    Plan
      Build, buy or extend
      ROI and TCO
      Model router
      Grounding data
    Design
      Agent types
      Extensibility
      Business apps
    Deploy
      ALM
      Testing
      Security

Lesson 1 of 3, 35–40% of the exam

Plan

The largest domain, and it reads more like consulting than engineering.

Build, buy or extend
Start with what exists, and customize only for real gaps.
ROI and TCO
Include running and maintenance costs, not only licenses.
Model router
Send each request to the most suitable model.
Grounding data
Check accuracy, relevance, timeliness, cleanliness and availability.
Where should this agent live?A simple starting point for the most common question.
flowchart TD
  A{"Does a prebuilt option meet the need?"} -->|Yes| B["Microsoft 365 Copilot or a prebuilt agent"]
  A -->|No| C{"Can makers build it low-code?"}
  C -->|Yes| D["Copilot Studio"]
  C -->|No| E["Custom agent in Foundry"]

Common trap

Choosing custom Foundry work when Microsoft 365 Copilot already meets the need.

Try it yourself

Write an ROI analysis for one real process.

Official docs: Cloud Adoption Framework for AIWhat is Copilot Studio?

Lesson 2 of 3, 30–35% of the exam

Design

This domain covers the product detail engineers often lack.

Agent types
Task, autonomous, and prompt and response agents suit different triggers.
Extensibility
Use MCP in Copilot Studio, custom models in Foundry, and agents in Microsoft 365.
Business apps
Know how AI features fit Dynamics 365 and Power Platform.
Agent types by triggerAsk what starts the agent.
flowchart TD
  A{"What starts it?"} -->|"A person asks"| B["Prompt and response agent"]
  A -->|"A person assigns work"| C["Task agent"]
  A -->|"An event, no person"| D["Autonomous agent"]

Common trap

Skipping Dynamics 365 because you come from Azure.

Try it yourself

Extend a Copilot Studio agent with an MCP server.

Official docs: MCP in Copilot StudioWhat is Copilot Studio?

Lesson 3 of 3, 20–25% of the exam

Deploy

Covers everything after the demo.

ALM
Plan how agents, connectors and models move between environments.
Testing
Set metrics and validation criteria for agents and models.
Security
Cover prompt manipulation, data residency, access to grounding data, and audit trails.
Agent lifecycle across environmentsNothing is edited directly in production.
flowchart LR
  A["Dev"] -->|"Solution export"| B["Test"]
  B -->|"Validation criteria pass"| C["Production"]
  C --> D["Monitor telemetry"]
  D -->|"Tune"| A

Common trap

Editing agents directly in production.

Try it yourself

Design ALM for one agent across dev, test and production.

Official docs: What is Copilot Studio?Cloud Adoption Framework for AI

Study plan

  1. Weeks 1 and 2: map the platform

    Build one agent in Copilot Studio and one in Foundry. Write down when you would pick each.

  2. Week 3: Dynamics 365 and Power Platform

    Cover Copilot in the Dynamics apps and Power Platform AI features. This is usually the gap for engineers.

  3. Week 4: business case

    Write an ROI analysis for a real process, including total cost of ownership and a build, buy or extend decision.

  4. Week 5: ALM and governance

    Design ALM for an agent solution, then its security, audit and compliance design.

  5. Exam week

    Read the November 16, 2026 change log, take the free practice assessment, then the mock below.

Exam day and after

  • You can open Microsoft Learn during associate and expert exams, but the clock keeps running. It helps with one lookup and not with twenty, so use it for exact names and limits.
  • Most questions cover generally available features, though preview features can appear if they are widely used.
  • Try the free exam sandbox first so the interface is not a surprise on the day.
  • The exam changes on November 16, 2026. English updates first, and other languages follow about eight weeks later. Check which version you are booked on.
  • Passing AB-100 alone is not enough. You also need one qualifying associate certification.
Test yourself8 practice questions, scored by exam topic.
Start the mock exam

Keep going

Exam facts checked on October 31, 2026 against AB-100 study guide, skills as of November 16, 2026. Lessons are our own explanations, so use the official docs as the final word, and confirm price and dates before booking.