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AB-650 is the single exam behind the Microsoft 365 Certified: Microsoft 365 and AI Services Administrator Associate, Microsoft's new associate credential for running Microsoft 365 alongside Copilot and agents. This October 2026 guide covers the beta exam, the three domains and their weights, the passing score and price, the free annual renewal, how it relates to the retiring MS-102, and the admin roles it fits.
The Microsoft 365 Certified: Microsoft 365 and AI Services Administrator Associate, earned by passing exam AB-650, is Microsoft's associate-level certification for the people who run Microsoft 365 tenants now that Copilot and agents live inside them.
AB-650 covers the familiar admin work, such as users, licenses, Exchange mailboxes, Teams, SharePoint, Conditional Access, Defender for Office 365, and Purview. Then it puts 35 to 40 percent of the exam on AI services. That means Copilot readiness and settings, agent identities in Microsoft Entra Agent ID, the agent registry, Microsoft Agent 365, and the cost and usage reports that show whether any of it is paying off.
There are no prerequisite certifications. Microsoft expects experience with Microsoft 365 workloads and Microsoft Entra ID, an understanding of Defender XDR, and familiarity with Microsoft Graph PowerShell. The credential is issued and maintained by Microsoft. As of October 21, 2026 the exam is still in beta, and the study guide was last updated on July 27, 2026.
Tenant settings, licensing for Microsoft 365 and AI services, Backup, Service health, Exchange, Teams, and SharePoint. 20 to 25%.
Entra identities and roles, authentication and Conditional Access, Defender for Office 365, and Purview. The largest domain at 40 to 45%.
Copilot readiness and settings, agents in Agent 365 and Entra Agent ID, and AI cost and usage monitoring. 35 to 40%.
Four things that set the Microsoft 365 and AI Services Administrator apart from the Microsoft 365 admin credentials that came before it.
None of the four MS-102 domains is about AI. AB-650 keeps the tenant, identity, and security work and adds a full domain on Copilot and agents, weighted at 35 to 40 percent. You are tested on who can use Copilot, what data it can reach, which agents get published, and what the whole thing costs.
The biggest domain, at 40 to 45 percent, is governing and securing the tenant: Entra users, guests, PIM roles, and Conditional Access, Defender for Office 365 threat policies, and Purview DLP, labels, and retention. Copilot is only as safe as the permissions and labels underneath it, and the exam is weighted that way.
MS-102 and the Microsoft 365 Administrator Expert retire on November 30, 2026. Microsoft's June 2026 credentials roundup lists this certification as the recommended new certification for that retirement. Our look at the most popular Microsoft certifications in 2026 covers whether to finish MS-102 or switch.
Like other Microsoft associate certifications, it is valid for one year and renews free through a short online assessment on Microsoft Learn. Microsoft doesn't claim a DoD 8140 mapping for AB-650. The current qualification matrix is published at the DoD Cyber Exchange.
Its weight comes from employers instead. An organization that licenses Microsoft 365 Copilot needs someone who decides what Copilot can see and keeps an eye on the bill, and this is the Microsoft credential written for that job.
The certification, the AB-650 exam, and how to keep it current, as of October 2026.
Microsoft hasn't announced an expert certification above AB-650, so the logical next move is to go deeper into one of the areas it touches. These three are the natural next steps.
The deep version of the Purview work in AB-650. SC-401 covers information protection, data loss prevention, retention, insider risk, and protecting data used by AI services. If labels and DLP are where you spend your time, start here.
If the Entra half of domain 2 is your daily work, SC-300 takes it much further, into user and workload identities, authentication and access management, and identity governance for the whole organization rather than only Microsoft 365.
The part AB-650 mostly leaves out. MD-102 covers devices and apps with Microsoft Intune, Windows Autopilot, and Defender for Endpoint, so pairing it with AB-650 covers both the tenant and the devices that connect to it.
AB-650 sits at the associate tier of Microsoft's Microsoft 365 path. A fundamentals exam can come first but doesn't have to, and from here the path branches into security depth or a wider scope.
The Microsoft 365 groundwork
Microsoft 365 and AI operations
Pick your path
Two questions to answer before you commit: can you sit it, and should you pursue AB-650 specifically. Here's a straight answer to both.
No prerequisite certification required.
Microsoft lists no prerequisite certification for AB-650. You register through Microsoft Learn and test with Pearson VUE, online or at a test center. One limit applies during the beta. Microsoft's beta exam rules exclude candidates located in China, India, Pakistan, and Türkiye.
Expect to wait for your result.
Beta exams aren't scored on the spot. Microsoft releases beta results about 10 days after the exam goes live, and if you don't pass, you can't retake it until then. There's no official practice assessment yet either. Microsoft says those usually arrive within 8 weeks of general availability, so study from the published skills outline and real tenant time.
AB-650 maps to the Microsoft 365 administration roles that pick up Copilot and agent work once an organization starts licensing them.
The core destination for an AB-650 holder. Runs the tenant day to day: users, licenses, mail, Teams, SharePoint, and the security settings that sit across all of them.
Owns Microsoft 365 Copilot and agents once they are licensed. Checks data readiness, sets Copilot policies, reviews agents in the registry, and reports on usage and cost.
Manages Exchange Online, Teams, and SharePoint, now including Copilot settings for meetings and the SharePoint controls that decide which sites Copilot can draw from.
Works the Defender for Office 365 alerts, threat policies, and attack simulations, along with the Conditional Access and PIM settings that protect accounts and admin roles.
Builds Purview DLP policies, sensitivity labels, and retention, and watches AI activity through Data Security Posture Management so Copilot answers stay inside the rules.
The generalist who inherited Microsoft 365 and Copilot along with everything else. AB-650 puts structure around skills that are often picked up on the fly.
AB-650 sits between the Copilot and agent fundamentals exam and the retiring Microsoft 365 Administrator Expert. Here's how the three line up as of October 2026.
| M365 and AI Services Admin (AB-650) | Copilot and Agent Admin Fundamentals (AB-900) | M365 Administrator Expert (MS-102) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Issuer | Microsoft | Microsoft | Microsoft |
| Level | Associate | Fundamentals | Expert |
| Status | Beta (GA planned for October 2026) | Available | Retires November 30, 2026 |
| Focus | Running Microsoft 365, Copilot, and agents | Microsoft 365, Copilot, and agent basics | Tenant, Entra, Defender XDR, and Purview |
| Prerequisites | None | None | One of four M365 or security associate certifications |
| Exam Time | 100 min (120 if labs) | 45 min | 100 min (120 if labs) |
| Passing Score | 700 of 1000 | 700 of 1000 | 700 of 1000 |
| Cost | $165 | $99 | $165 |
| Validity | 1 year, free renewal | Does not expire | 1 year, no renewal after retirement |
| Best For | Admins running Copilot and agents | Newcomers and support roles | Admins who can finish before it retires |
US prices from Microsoft as of October 2026. Pricing varies by region and taxes. Exam times follow Microsoft's published rules for each exam type. Fundamentals certifications do not expire, while associate and expert credentials renew free each year. MS-102 can't be earned or renewed after November 30, 2026.
Certification Matchups: the published facts, strengths and weak spots of 33 certifications, side by side.
As an authorized Microsoft training partner, our Microsoft 365 and AI Services Administrator boot camp covers all three AB-650 domains in three days, live online or in person. You get official Microsoft courseware, hosted lab tenants with Copilot turned on, practice questions and exam prep review sessions, your $165 exam voucher, an exam retake, and 180 days of instructor help after class.
The MS-102 decision, how Microsoft's 2026 reshuffle happened, and how to study from a published outline.
Which Microsoft exams people are taking after a year of retirements, what each one costs, and a straight answer on whether to finish MS-102 before November 30 or move to AB-650.
From product exams and MCSE to role-based certifications and the 2026 wave of AI credentials that includes AB-650, plus what the fast MS-102 retirement says about planning ahead.
The full Microsoft map by job role, updated for the 2026 retirements, with the Microsoft 365 administrator path, AB-900 as the new fundamentals starting point, and MS-102 flagged.
How another 2026 Microsoft retirement played out, from the beta and its discount to the renewal assessment that went away with the old exam. Useful context for MS-102 holders.
Microsoft publishes its version as a study guide on Microsoft Learn. How to read the weighted skill areas and study from them, which matters for a beta exam with no practice assessment yet.
ID rules, breaks, online proctoring, and retake waits compared across vendors, including Microsoft's 24-hour and 14-day retake rules and its Pearson VUE waiver process.
Why Microsoft retired MCSA, including its Office 365 track, how the role-based model took over, and why current Microsoft certifications renew every year while MCSA never will.
The AB-650 exam is organized into three domains, each carrying its own weight. Governing and securing the tenant is the heaviest at 40 to 45 percent, with AI services close behind at 35 to 40 percent. Click any domain for what it covers.
Tenant branding, domains and organizational settings, Microsoft 365 licensing including group-based licensing and pay-as-you-go, and licenses for Microsoft 365 Copilot, Microsoft Agent 365 and Copilot Studio. It also covers Microsoft 365 Backup, network connectivity insights and Service health, plus the workloads themselves: mailboxes and shared mailboxes, teams and channels, Copilot settings for Teams meetings, SharePoint sites and permissions, and preparing SharePoint and OneDrive for Copilot with SharePoint Advanced Management, Microsoft Search and site exclusions.
The largest domain. Managing users, guests, groups, contacts, administrative units and roles in Microsoft Entra, including Privileged Identity Management and bulk work with Microsoft Graph PowerShell. Authentication methods, Password Protection, self-service password reset and Conditional Access with ID Protection and MFA. Defender for Office 365 alerts, threat policies, investigations and attack simulations. Purview DLP for Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, endpoints and Copilot, sensitivity and retention labels, DLP alerts for AI services and AI activity in Data Security Posture Management.
Assessing tenant and data readiness for Copilot, including oversharing and data leaks, then configuring web search, Copilot Search, tenant Copilot settings, user experiences, Copilot Cowork, third-party AI providers and Copilot connectors. Running agents with Microsoft Entra Agent ID lifecycle workflows, access packages and Conditional Access, agent owners and settings, and the agent registry (review, publish, reject, install, block). Securing, monitoring and governing agents with Agent 365, and tracking AI cost, usage and service health in the Microsoft 365 admin center and the Copilot Control System.
Domains and weights reflect the Microsoft Learn study guide for Exam AB-650, last updated July 27, 2026. AB-650 is still a beta exam, so the outline can change around general availability. Confirm the current version on Microsoft Learn before scheduling.
The questions candidates ask most often when researching the Microsoft 365 and AI Services Administrator certification.
The Microsoft 365 Certified: Microsoft 365 and AI Services Administrator Associate, earned by passing exam AB-650, is Microsoft's associate-level certification for administrators who configure, secure, and govern Microsoft 365 tenants along with the AI services inside them, including Microsoft 365 Copilot and agents. Some Microsoft announcements shorten the name to Microsoft 365 Certified: AI Services Administrator Associate.
Yes. As of October 21, 2026, Microsoft Learn still lists AB-650: Administering Microsoft 365 and AI Services as a beta exam. Microsoft announced the beta on July 28, 2026 and said general availability was planned for October 2026. Passing the beta counts toward the certification, so you don't need to retake the final version.
Microsoft doesn't use the word replacement. MS-102 and the Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert retire on November 30, 2026, and Microsoft's June 2026 credentials roundup lists the AB-650 certification as the recommended new certification for that retirement. The levels differ, though. MS-102 is an expert exam that needs a qualifying associate certification first, while AB-650 is an associate exam with no prerequisite. If you already hold the Administrator Expert, it stays valid until it expires, but it can't be renewed after November 30, 2026.
No. Microsoft lists no prerequisite certification, so anyone can register. It does expect experience with Microsoft 365 workloads and Microsoft Entra ID, an understanding of Defender XDR capabilities, and familiarity with Microsoft Graph PowerShell. A fundamentals exam such as AB-900 or SC-900 can help if you're newer to Microsoft 365, but neither is required.
The three domains are Configure and manage Microsoft 365 tenants and workloads (20 to 25 percent), Govern and secure Microsoft 365 tenants and workloads (40 to 45 percent), and Manage and secure AI services in Microsoft 365 (35 to 40 percent). Governance and security carries the most weight, and AI services is close behind.
Microsoft hasn't published a question count or a fixed time for AB-650. Its general guidance is that most certification exams have 40 to 60 questions, and associate exams run 100 minutes, or 120 minutes if they include labs. Microsoft doesn't announce question types ahead of time, but its sample types include multiple choice, case studies, drag and drop, and hot area. Your registration confirms the exam time.
You need 700 on a scale of 1 to 1,000. It's a scaled score, so 700 doesn't mean 70 percent correct. Because AB-650 is in beta, you won't see your score when you finish. Microsoft releases beta results about 10 days after the exam goes live.
AB-650 costs $165 USD in the United States as of October 2026. The price varies by country or region and doesn't include taxes. Microsoft's 80 percent beta discount was limited to the first 300 candidates who tested by August 18, 2026, so it's no longer available. Training Camp's Microsoft 365 and AI Services Administrator boot camp includes the $165 exam voucher and an exam retake in the program fee.
Microsoft doesn't claim a DoD 8140 mapping for AB-650, so don't count on it to satisfy a cyber-coded position requirement on its own. Its value is with employers that run Microsoft 365 and are rolling out Copilot and agents. See the full DoD 8140 work role paths.
Microsoft associate certifications are valid for one year. You renew for free by passing an online, open-book assessment on Microsoft Learn. The renewal window opens six months before your expiration date, and you can retake the assessment as often as you need, as long as you pass before the certification expires.
AB-650 fits roles such as Microsoft 365 Administrator, AI Services Administrator, Messaging and Collaboration Administrator, Microsoft 365 Security Administrator, Data Governance Administrator, and Systems Administrator. It's most useful where an organization has licensed Microsoft 365 Copilot or is publishing agents and needs someone to run them safely.
If you already administer Microsoft 365, go straight to AB-650. It's the associate exam and it tests the actual admin work. If you're new to Microsoft 365, AB-900 (Microsoft 365 Certified: Copilot and Agent Administration Fundamentals) is a 45-minute, $99 exam on the basics of Microsoft 365, Copilot, and agents, and it doesn't expire. AB-900 isn't required for AB-650, so it depends on where you're starting.
It's broad. One exam covers tenant settings, Exchange, Teams, SharePoint, Entra ID, Conditional Access, Defender for Office 365, Purview, Copilot, and Agent 365. Many of the AI features are new, Microsoft has no practice assessment for it yet, and the exam may include Preview features if they're commonly used. Time in a real tenant with Copilot turned on makes the biggest difference.
For Microsoft 365 admins whose tenants run Copilot or agents, yes. It's the Microsoft certification written for that job, and Microsoft recommends it to people who would have pursued MS-102. It's less useful if you mainly manage devices, where MD-102 fits better, or if you need a scored result right away, since beta results arrive after general availability.
Whether you're weighing AB-650 against MS-102, planning a Copilot rollout, or arranging training for an admin team, tell us where you are and we'll help you map out the right path.