The AI certification market has filled in quickly. By mid-2026 Google, Anthropic and Microsoft all run proctored AI certifications, and they are aimed at very different people. Here is what each one is, so you do not have to read fifteen different announcements to work out which deserves your attention.
What AI Certification Does Google Offer?
Google Cloud launched the Generative AI Leader certification on May 14, 2025. It is aimed at managers, strategists and other non-technical leaders who need to make decisions about generative AI rather than build it. The exam is 90 minutes with 50 to 60 multiple-choice questions, there are no prerequisites, and the certification is valid for three years. If your organization has chosen Google Cloud and you are the person deciding where AI fits, this is the credential written for you.
What Certifications Does Anthropic Offer?
Anthropic started certifying people on Claude in March 2026 and, as of July 2026, offers four role-based credentials: Claude Certified Associate: Foundations, Claude Certified Developer: Foundations, Claude Certified Architect: Foundations and Claude Certified Architect: Professional. The exams are proctored and identity-verified, delivered by Pearson, and open to members of the Claude Partner Network, which is free to join. They are practical rather than theoretical: the Developer and Architect paths are for people building applications and agent systems on Claude, while the Associate credential covers consultants, project leads and business staff working on Claude projects.
What Is Microsoft Doing With AI Certifications?
Microsoft has rebuilt its AI path. The Azure AI Engineer Associate (exam AI-102) is retired, and its replacement is the Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate, earned with exam AI-103, which focuses on building generative AI and agentic solutions. At the entry level, Microsoft retired AI-900 on June 30, 2026, and Azure AI Fundamentals is now earned with exam AI-901. If you hold the older credentials, check the current exam pages before you plan a renewal.
CompTIA SecAI+ Boot Camp
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Which AI Certification Should You Choose?
What does all of this mean practically? The AI certification market is expanding faster than the hiring market has developed clear preferences about which credentials carry weight. That is normal for an emerging credential category and it is not a reason to avoid all of them. It is a reason to be thoughtful about which ones you pursue and why.
The credentials that are most likely to retain value are the ones tied to platforms with strong enterprise adoption and the ones backed by organizations with established credibility in their respective communities. Google’s Generative AI Leader is valuable in Google Cloud shops. Anthropic’s credentials are directly applicable for teams building on Claude. ISACA’s AI governance credentials carry governance credibility that vendor-specific technical certifications do not. Knowing which bucket you are in helps you make better decisions about where to spend your study time.
The one consistent recommendation I would make regardless of which specific credential you are evaluating: actually engage with the technology rather than just studying the certification content. The AI tools available right now are accessible enough that hands-on experimentation is possible without a lab budget or specialized access. Build things with the platforms you are certifying on. The credential will mean more and the knowledge will stick better.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Anthropic offer a Claude certification?
As of 2026, yes. Anthropic offers four proctored, identity-verified credentials: Claude Certified Associate: Foundations, Claude Certified Developer: Foundations, Claude Certified Architect: Foundations and Claude Certified Architect: Professional. The first launched in March 2026, exams are delivered by Pearson, and they are open to Claude Partner Network members.
What is the Google Cloud Generative AI Leader certification?
It is a Google Cloud certification for non-technical professionals such as managers, strategists and leaders, launched on May 14, 2025. The exam is 90 minutes with 50 to 60 multiple-choice questions, has no prerequisites, and the certification is valid for three years.
Is the AI-102 Azure AI Engineer exam still available?
No. As of 2026, Microsoft lists the Azure AI Engineer Associate certification and its renewal assessment as retired. Its replacement is the Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate, earned by passing exam AI-103, a 120-minute exam focused on building generative AI and agentic solutions with Microsoft Foundry.
Is Azure AI Fundamentals still earned with the AI-900 exam?
No. Microsoft retired AI-900 on June 30, 2026, and the Azure AI Fundamentals certification now requires exam AI-901. The updated certification expects some knowledge of Python syntax as well as familiarity with Azure resources.
Is there an AI certification aimed at security professionals?
CompTIA SecAI+ (exam CY0-001) launched on February 17, 2026 and covers securing AI systems, AI-assisted security and AI governance, risk and compliance. It has a maximum of 60 questions in 60 minutes and a passing score of 600 on a 100 to 900 scale. ExamNav offers a CompTIA SecAI+ boot camp.
Related reading
- Microsoft’s AI-900 Might Be the Most Accessible Cert of the Year
- What Audit and Compliance Professionals Should Know About ISACA's AI Credentials
- ISACA AAIA (Advanced in AI Audit) boot camp
Cody Davis is the Program Director for the certification courses on this site, where he oversees curriculum design and the overall learning experience. He holds several IT certifications and brings a practitioner's mindset to everything he builds. When he's not helping IT pros level up their careers, he's wrangling three kids and adding to a GI Joe collection that his family pretends not to notice.
