…like the Cloud Practitioner Exam opened our eyes to the potential of the cloud, the AWS Certified AI Practitioner (AIF-C01) is designed to provide that same foundational common language for the world of Artificial Intelligence.
Whether you’re an Executive, Developer, Engineer, or Project Manager, having a baseline understanding of AI principles is no longer a nice to have, it’s absolutely essential.
📘 What the AWS Certified AI Practitioner Exam Covers
According to AWS, the AWS Certified AI Practitioner (AIF-C01) is intended for individuals who can effectively demonstrate an overall knowledge of AI/ML, Generative AI Technologies, and associated AWS services, independent of a specific technical job role.
It isn’t about proving you can build complex neural networks from scratch. Instead, it validates your ability to:
- Understand Concepts: Grasp AI, ML, and generative AI methods both generally and specifically on AWS.
- Ask the Right Questions: Determine the appropriate use of AI/ML technologies within your organization.
- Apply the Right Tools: Identify which AI/ML technologies fit specific business use cases.
- Operate Responsibly: Use AI technologies ethically and within security guidelines.
🎯 Who is the target candidate?
The ideal candidate has up to 6 months of exposure to AI/ML on AWS. Importantly, you are expected to be a user of AI solutions, not necessarily a builder of models.
🚫 What is out of scope?
To keep this accessible, the following tasks are not required for this exam:
- Developing or coding AI/ML models/algorithms.
- Performing hyperparameter tuning or model optimization.
- Building and deploying full ML pipelines.
- Conducting deep mathematical or statistical analysis.
🧭 Exam Domains and Weighting
The exam is divided into five main content domains. While Generative AI is the “star of the show,” the exam ensures you have a grounded understanding of traditional ML and security as well.
| Domain | Description | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Domain 1: Fundamentals of AI and ML | Basic concepts, types of ML, and the ML lifecycle. | 20% |
| Domain 2: Fundamentals of Generative AI | What GenAI is, how Foundation Models work, and terminology like “tokens.” | 24% |
| Domain 3: Applications of FMs | How to actually use Foundation Models (Bedrock, SageMaker) for real tasks. | 28% |
| Domain 4: Guidelines for Responsible AI | Fairness, bias, explainability, and safety. | 14% |
| Domain 5: Security & Governance | Compliance, IAM, and the Shared Responsibility Model for AI. | 14% |
💡 Why This Certification Matters
What makes the AI Practitioner certification special is its accessibility. It provides a structured understanding of the AI ecosystem that is relevant to virtually everyone in tech today.
- Executives gain the literacy needed to lead digital transformation strategies.
- Product Managers can better define requirements for AI-powered features.
- Security Professionals learn how to govern and protect AI-driven data.
- Newcomers find an approachable, confidence-building start to their AI journey.
In many ways, this exam provides AI Literacy: the ability to fluently discuss, plan, and collaborate in an AI-first environment.
🧩 The Exam Format
The exam consists of 65 questions (50 scored, 15 unscored) to be completed in a single sitting.
- Question Types: Multiple choice, multiple response, ordering, matching, and case studies.
- Scoring: A scaled score of 100–1,000.
- Passing Score: 700.
- Strategy: There is no penalty for guessing, so never leave a question blank!
🧭 Looking Ahead
In the coming weeks, I’ll be breaking down each of the five domains and their associated task statements. We will dive into everything from the difference between Discriminative and Generative AI to how Amazon Bedrock is changing the way we consume Foundation Models.
Whether you’re a seasoned Cloud Veteran or just starting out, building a foundation in AI is the single best investment you can make in your career today.
🚀 Let’s Get Certified
The AWS Certified AI Practitioner exam isn’t just about adding a badge to your LinkedIn profile, it’s about building fluency in the technology that is defining our era.
So, let’s take the plunge. Learn the basics. Refresh the fundamentals. Build the foundation that unlocks the future.
Let’s get certified!
Additional Resources
AWS Certified AI Practitioner (AIF-C01) Exam Guide
Prerequisite Resources