Amazon Web Services (AWS) announces the launch of four new certifications focused on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). The cloud giant is tackling the task of structuring credential validation in a rapidly expanding field, covering both non-technical professionals and specialized engineers.
They span a range of mastery levels, from more general to more advanced.
Until now, AWS offered only a single certification dedicated to machine learning at the Specialty level. The introduction of these four new exams establishes a progressive path, from understanding concepts to operational mastery of the tools in the AWS ecosystem.
A clearer structuring of AI pathways
The AI Practitioner certification marks the entry into this space, covering the fundamental principles of AI without requiring programming skills.
The Machine Learning Engineer – Associate and Data Engineer – Associate certifications are aimed at technical profiles involved in implementing and managing the data needed to train models.
Finally, Generative AI Developer – Professional, the most advanced, targets specialists able to integrate and optimize generative models in production, notably through services like Amazon Bedrock.
These certifications provide a standardized recognition framework for professionals seeking to demonstrate their mastery of AI tools within the AWS environment. They can help clarify skill sets in the job market and support upskilling in highly demanded technologies.
However, they remain tightly tied to the AWS ecosystem, which limits direct portability of skills to other cloud platforms. The sector’s rapid evolution also requires frequent updates to exam blueprints to reflect technological advances and best practices.
The beta version of the Generative AI Developer exam illustrates this dynamic: it will be refined before the final version based on feedback from early candidates.
Four certifications for four levels of specialization
| Certification name | Level / category | Target audience & prerequisites | Content / skills assessed | Particularities (duration, format, language, cost) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AWS Certified AI Practitioner | Foundational | Non-technical professionals or beginners with a basic grasp of AI/ML | AI and ML concepts, use cases, responsible AI principles, AWS AI-related services | 90 minutes, 65 questions, cost USD 100, available in French, online or at a Pearson VUE center |
| AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate | Associate | Engineers or developers with AI/ML experience on AWS | Development, deployment, maintenance and monitoring of models at scale | Certification focused on productionizing AI models within AWS |
| AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate | Associate | Professionals responsible for data management and preparation | Architectures design, pipeline creation, data quality and orchestration | 130 minutes, 65 questions, cost USD 150 |
| AWS Certified Generative AI Developer – Professional | Professional | Experienced AI/ML developers aiming to design generative applications | Foundation models usage, prompt engineering, vector databases, performance optimization and security | Beta exam of 204 minutes, 85 questions, cost USD 150 |
