Microsoft now runs three separate Copilot certification tracks, and picking the wrong one costs you weeks. AI-3018 teaches you to build agents in Microsoft Copilot Studio. AB-730 certifies that you can use Microsoft 365 Copilot to get real work done. AB-731 certifies that you can lead an AI rollout across a company. SkillTech has a course for each. This page shows what every one covers, who it fits, and how to choose
Compare the Microsoft Copilot certification courses
- AI-3018 Copilot Certification: for analysts, makers and junior developers who want to build, publish and analyze agents in Copilot Studio.
- AB-730 AI Business Professional: for marketing, HR, finance, ops and sales teams who want to use Microsoft 365 Copilot across Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams and PowerPoint.
- AB-731 AI Transformation Leader: for managers, directors and transformation leads who need to find AI business value, plan adoption and govern it responsibly.
The rule is simple. If your job is to build, take AI-3018. If your job is to use, take AB-730. If your job is to decide, take AB-731. None of them is a prerequisite for the others, and none requires a developer background.
AI-3018 Copilot Foundations: the Microsoft Copilot Studio course
AI-3018 is the builder track and the closest match on this page to a classic Copilot Studio course. You start with generative AI and large language model basics, then move into the Copilot Studio authoring canvas: topics, trigger phrases, conversation flows and generative answers grounded in your own websites and documents.
From there you connect agents to business data through Power Automate and prebuilt connectors, publish to Microsoft Teams or a public website and read the analytics to see where conversations fail. The final stretch covers Microsoft Foundry (formerly Azure AI Foundry) and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), which is how you point an agent at your own data when Copilot Studio alone isn't enough.
Best for business analysts, Power Platform makers and developers who have been asked to build an internal agent. Start the AI-3018 course.
AB-730 AI Business Professional: get certified on Microsoft 365 Copilot
AB-730 leads to the Microsoft Certified: AI Business Professional credential. It covers the work most people already do: writing prompts that return usable output, drafting in Word, Outlook and PowerPoint, analyzing data in Excel with Copilot and the Analyst agent, managing meetings in Teams and using the Researcher agent for background work. It also tests responsible AI and data protection, the section most candidates skim and many exam scenarios lean on.
Expect scenario questions where you choose the best approach, not recite feature names. You need no coding and no AI background, only comfort with everyday Microsoft 365 apps.
Best for marketers, HR teams, finance staff, project managers and anyone who lives in Outlook and Excel. Start the AB-730 course.
AB-731 AI Transformation Leader: decide what to adopt and how
AB-731 leads to the Microsoft Certified: AI Transformation Leader credential, and it is a business strategy exam. It covers where generative AI creates measurable value, which Microsoft AI apps and services fit which need (Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Foundry among them), and how to plan adoption, including governance, change management, workforce readiness and responsible AI.
You won't configure anything. You'll be tested on what to fund, what to restrict and how to prove the result.
Best for managers, directors, product owners, consultants and anyone accountable for an AI rollout. Start the AB-731 course.
Which order should you take them in?
- Business professional who wants a visible AI skill: AB-730.
- Team lead moving into AI strategy: AB-730 first for the hands-on view, then AB-731 for the leadership view.
- Analyst or maker who wants to build agents: AI-3018, then AB-730 if you'll support Microsoft 365 users.
- New to cloud and AI terminology: start with our Azure AI Fundamentals certification course or Azure Fundamentals certification course, then return here.
What you get with SkillTech
- Expert-led lessons: short, structured sessions from certified professionals.
- Hands-on practice: build and test in a live environment instead of watching someone else click.
- Exam-style practice sets: study material written around what the exams actually ask.
- Self-paced access: every course runs under three hours, so you can finish one in a weekend.
Want access across the full catalog? See SkillTech membership options, or read study tips on the SkillTech blog.
Aligned with Microsoft's official curriculum
Every course follows Microsoft's published learning objectives, and we add labs and worked examples on top. You can cross-check the source material anytime in the Microsoft Learn Copilot hub, which links to Copilot Studio documentation and official training.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Microsoft Copilot Studio certification?
Microsoft doesn't publish one exam named "Copilot Studio certification." The closest beginner track is AI-3018 Copilot Foundations, which teaches Copilot Studio hands-on. At expert level, Microsoft's AB-100 exam covers designing agentic AI solutions with Copilot Studio, Azure AI and Power Platform.
What is the difference between AB-730 and AB-731?
AB-730 tests how you use Microsoft 365 Copilot in daily work. AB-731 tests how you lead AI adoption: business value, governance and change management. Both sit at the same level, and neither is a prerequisite for the other.
Do I need coding skills for a Copilot certification?
No. AB-730 and AB-731 are written for non-developers, and AI-3018 uses Copilot Studio's low-code canvas.
Which Copilot certification is best for beginners?
AB-730 if you work in Microsoft 365 and want to use Copilot better. AI-3018 if you want to build agents. Both are beginner level. AB-731 is intermediate.
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