Rishab in Cloud

How to Pass the AI-102 Azure AI Engineer Associate Certification

How to Pass the AI-102 Azure AI Engineer Associate Certification

Learn how I passed the AI-102 Microsoft Azure AI Engineer certification exam.

Rishab Kumar's photo
Rishab Kumar
·

4 min read

Are you preparing for the AI-102 Azure AI Engineer Associate certification? I recently passed mine on 19th June, 2024. This guide will provide you with valuable insights and tips to help you succeed in your exam preparation.

Exam Overview

  • Exam Code: AI-102

  • Level: Intermediate

  • Duration: 2 hours (with 1 hour 40 minutes for the actual exam)

  • Number of Questions: ~50 (varies per exam)

  • Passing Score: 700 out of 1000

Skills Measured

The exam covers six main sections:

  • 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%)

Exam Format and Tips

  • Choose between Python or C# for SDK-related questions

  • Access to Microsoft Learn is provided during the exam

  • Time management is crucial - don't spend too long on any single question

Preparation Resources

  1. Microsoft Learn: The primary resource for exam preparation

    • Course: "Designing and Implementing a Microsoft AI Solution"

    • Complete all modules, including hands-on labs

  2. Official Study Guide: Available on Microsoft Learn

    • Provides a detailed breakdown of exam objectives

  3. AI-102 Study Cram Course by John Savill

  4. Hands-on Projects:

    • Build real Azure AI solutions to gain practical experience

    • Experiment with Azure AI Search, Cognitive Services, and other relevant technologies

  5. Azure AI Services Familiarity:

    • Understand the use cases for various Azure AI services

    • Learn about recent rebranding (e.g., Cognitive Services now use "AI" in their names)

  6. Docker Deployment:

    • Learn how to deploy AI services using Docker containers

    • Understand the setup process, including API keys and endpoints

My Personal Exam Experience

Time Management

The exam lasted the full two hours, and I used every minute available. In fact, time management turned out to be one of the biggest challenges. Despite my best efforts, I wasn't able to answer all the questions in time. When the clock ran out, I had left 2-3 questions unanswered at the very end. This experience taught me the importance of pacing myself throughout the exam and not spending too much time on any single question, trying to find right docs in Microsoft Learn.

Using Microsoft Learn During the Exam

Talking about the access to Microsoft Learn during the test, while this can be helpful, it's also a potential time sink. I found myself looking up information for some questions, which ate into my available time. In retrospect, I should have been more selective about when to use this resource. It's there to help, but relying on it too much can prevent you from finishing all the questions.

The Result

Despite the time crunch at the end, I'm happy to report that I passed the exam with a score of 760 out of 1000, close to the passing score of 700. The score report provided a breakdown of my performance in each section, which was helpful for identifying areas where I could improve further.

Lessons Learned

  1. Time management is crucial: Practice working through sample questions under timed conditions to improve your pacing.

  2. Use Microsoft Learn judiciously: While it's a valuable resource, be strategic about when you use it during the exam.

  3. Focus on weaker areas: My score report showed that I performed least well in the "Plan and manage Azure AI solution" section. Identifying such areas can help you focus your continued learning and improvement.

Remember, everyone's experience will be unique, but I hope sharing mine gives you a better idea of what to expect and how to prepare.

Additional Tips

  • Focus on solution-oriented scenarios in your study

  • Practice identifying the appropriate AI service for different use cases

  • Understand the differences between services like Azure AI Search and Azure AI Document Intelligence

  • Familiarize yourself with both Python SDK and REST API interactions and how you can deploy AI services as containers

  • Get used the important Microsoft Learn docs, makes it easy to navigate during the exam

Conclusion

With thorough preparation using the resources mentioned above and a focus on hands-on experience, you'll be well-equipped to pass the AI-102 Azure AI Engineer Associate certification. Good luck with your exam!

AzureAICertification