AI-102: Preparation Tips & Learning Path for Azure AI Certification
This blog post can provide valuable information! If you’re aiming on AI-102 exam on Design and Implement AI solutions using Microsoft Azure.
This blog post offers insights and resources to helps to navigate the exam preparation process.
My Journey to AI and the AI-102 Certification:
My interest in AI initially led me to explore various resources like videos and articles, particularly around Generative AI (Gen AI) and its future. However, I found it challenging to structure my learning due to the vastness of the topic. After careful consideration, I decided to start with a more focused approach on readily available solutions.
Naturally, I turned to Microsoft Azure, where I discovered a range of intriguing AI services. I realized that simply reading and watching wouldn’t suffice; I yearned for hands-on experience.
Furthermore, I believed the time and effort invested in my learning should be reflected in a formal certification. Therefore, I dedicated additional time to deepening my knowledge in this area and pursuing the AI-102 certification.
Beyond personal growth, I believe holding a relevant certification demonstrates commitment and adds value to one’s profile, particularly when seeking opportunities related to Gen AI projects.
Finally, I strongly recommend a structured learning path for anyone embarking on their AI journey. This approach helps identify knowledge gaps and allows individuals to effectively plan their learning progression.
What does this Certification Cover ?
The Microsoft AI-102 certification focuses on designing and implementing real-world AI solutions using Azure AI services. It equips us with the knowledge and skills to:
- Choose the right Azure AI service for specific tasks, covering areas like computer vision, natural language processing, and speech services.
- Design and implement AI solutions that integrate seamlessly with other Azure services.
- Manage and monitor our AI solutions effectively, ensuring optimal performance and responsible practices.
What are the Key takeaways on the AI-102 exam and beyond ?
The AI-102 certification equips us with practical skills, but doesn’t make us an AI expert. While valuable for implementing AI solutions on Azure, it focuses on a specific platform and doesn’t cover the broader AI landscape.
Here’s what to keep in mind:
- Limited scope: The exam primarily focuses on Azure AI services. Consider exploring other platforms like Amazon and Google Cloud to broaden our knowledge.
Remember, this is just a starting point. Continued learning and exploration are crucial for becoming a well-rounded AI professional.
What are the skills required to pass this exam ?
The official exam scope should be our key guide to avoid outdated resources and focus relevant learning. It outlines the weightage (percentage) of each topic covered in the exam:
Plan and manage an Azure AI solution (15–20%)
Implement content moderation solutions (10–15%)
Implement computer vision solutions (15–20%)
Implement natural language processing solutions (30–35%)
Implement knowledge mining and document intelligence solutions (10–15%)
Implement generative AI solutions (10–15%)
Here’s how this information empowers us:
- Prioritize learning: Dedicate more time to topics with higher weightage (like natural language processing).
- Seek updated resources: Refer to the official Study Guide for AI-102 link for the most current information. As this is getting updated time to time.
- Develop scenario-based understanding: As we delve deeper into each sub-topic, we can visualize its real-world application and potential solutions. This enhances our ability to tackle scenario-based questions in the exam.
By utilizing the exam scope effectively, we can optimize our preparation, save time, and increase our chances of success.
What are the pre-requisites for this exam ?
- Azure Subscription
We need an Azure subscription to complete the hands-on labs and practice using Azure AI services.
I recommend using a Pay-As-You-Go subscription on the Azure Portal. This allows us to create and delete resources only when needed for our hands-on learning, minimizing our costs.
Based on my experience, expect to spend around ₹500 — ₹1500 ($10 –$20) using Pay-As-You-Go while exploring different Azure AI services for the exam.
- Choose the Language we want to prepare for!
Choosing a familiar programming language like C# or Python can streamline our AI learning process, allowing us to focus on AI concepts instead of struggling with a new language. This can significantly reduce learning time and accelerate our AI journey.
What is my preparation journey for the AI-102 exam ?
I dedicated approximately 6 weeks to preparing for the exam, investing 10–20 hours per week on average.
During the last two weeks, I shifted my focus to practice tests to identify knowledge gaps and revisit specific topics for deeper understanding. This approach ensured I was well-prepared for both the technical and non-technical aspects of the exam, including networking concepts like VNETs and Private Endpoints.
I firmly believe that the hands-on experience gained through labs (like Azure portal, AI Services & AI Studio) practice was instrumental in my preparation journey.
Watched Exam Readiness Zone Videos
6 video resources are available on this page, covering various topics related to the AI-102 exam. I found them very helpful in gaining a clear understanding of the material, and I personally used them as step 2 in my preparation process. I highly recommend starting with the first video in the series:
Preparing for AI-102 — Plan and manage an Azure AI solution (Part 1 of 6)
In this video, Alfonso provides an introduction to planning and managing an Azure AI solution. Access it here: link to the video
- Self Phased Learning
The official Microsoft Learning Path for the AI-102 exam is available on their website. It’s highly recommended to thoroughly review each module in the Learning Path to gain a comprehensive understanding of the exam topics.
The Learning Path also includes hands-on labs, which are crucial for practical learning. This is a great opportunity to experiment with code examples and tools like Git Codespaces. This was my first time using “Git Codespaces”, and I found it very helpful for working with the provided code examples.
Practice Test
While studying the exam questions might be helpful, true success comes from having practical experience with various AI services. This experience allows you to not only understand each service individually but also see how they work together. This deeper understanding is crucial for passing the exam and for effectively utilizing AI in real-world situations.
- Take Free Practice Assessment part of AI 102 — Exam details page
Don’t miss the free practice assessment on the AI-102 exam details page! This assessment is a valuable tool to identify our knowledge gaps and gauge our readiness for the exam. We can take it as many times as we need to feel confident in achieving the passing score of 80% or higher.
While the assessment focuses on foundational knowledge, it’s important to note that the actual exam may also include more complex elements such as scenarios and code examples.
While studying for the AI-102 exam, I found Udemy courses particularly valuable. Instructors like Scott Duffy provide expert guidance that can boost our confidence in understanding the material.
However, it’s important to acknowledge that some course content might be outdated. Additionally, in-depth walkthroughs offered in these videos might cover aspects we may have missed during hands-on labs.
Overall, Udemy courses excel at visualizing the practical applications of various configurations and processes. In a sense, they function like having a knowledgeable friend guide we through real-world examples, filling in any gaps we might have missed during our own experimentation
3. ExamTopics: Link for AI-102 Sample Questions
The ExamTopics website, along with the link provided above for AI-102 sample questions, is an excellent resource for understanding various question formats in the actual exam.
This is a concise resource, with its content limited to 25 pages (free, then after page 26 it is paid), making it efficient and focused for our preparation. Utilize the discussion section of each question to understand more about the relevant solutions.
I highly recommend utilizing this website to familiarize with the types of questions, we will encounter on the exam (most important part). This will help us to develop the necessary skills to tackle them confidently.
Wishing you all the best for your exam!
Leave your thoughts as comments.
