AIF-C01: Complete guide to AWS AI Practitioner Certification
Independent English guide to AWS AI Practitioner Certification: cost, exam format, domains, target audience, language availability, and study path.
An independent English guide to AWS AI Practitioner Certification: cost, exam format, major domains, target audience, language availability, and study path.
⚠️ Always confirm details directly with AWS.
Exam formats, fees, languages, scheduling options, and certification policies can change. This guide is an independent reference. It is not official AWS training and is not endorsed by AWS.
| Cost | $100 USD |
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Level | Foundational |
| Registration | aws.amazon.com/certification → |
By LoSimplifica · Updated July 2026 · reference guide
In this guide
- What is AIF-C01
- Who this certification is for
- Exam format and structure
- Exam domains
- Exam language and availability
- Recommended knowledge
- Cost registration and validity
- Where AIF-C01 fits in a career path
- Study advice
1. What is AIF-C01
AIF-C01 is the exam code for AWS AI Practitioner Certification. This certification validates foundational knowledge of artificial intelligence, machine learning, generative AI, foundation models, responsible AI, security, compliance, and governance.
Preparing for an AWS certification should not be limited to memorizing service names. You need to understand what each service solves, when it should be used, how it combines with other services, and how it affects security, cost, performance, and operations.
This guide keeps AWS service names and domain names in English. In AWS documentation, the console, exams, and job descriptions, terms like IAM, VPC, Lambda, S3, CloudWatch, SageMaker, and Bedrock usually appear in English.
2. Who this certification is for
AIF-C01 can be useful for:
- people who need to understand AI and generative AI in a work context
- product, business, operations, marketing, or management roles working with technical teams
- students who want an AI entry point before deeper ML engineering topics
- learners planning to continue toward MLA-C01 or AIP-C01
A certification is not a job guarantee. It works best as a way to structure learning, validate knowledge, and support hands-on projects.
3. Exam format and structure
| Certification | AWS AI Practitioner Certification |
| Exam code | AIF-C01 |
| Level | Foundational |
| Question types | Multiple choice, multiple response, and scenario-based questions, according to official guidance |
| Number of questions | 65 questions, according to the official exam page |
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Cost | $100 USD |
| Score range | 100–1,000 scaled score |
| Approximate passing score | 700, subject to official confirmation |
| Validity | Generally 3 years |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE test center or online proctored exam, depending on availability |
| Language | Depends on the exam and region. Confirm available languages before paying |
AWS questions often use scenarios. The best answer usually depends on security, cost, reliability, performance, operational simplicity, and business constraints.
4. Exam domains
Use the following table as a study map. Before registering, always review the latest official exam guide.
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| Fundamentals of AI and ML | 20% |
| Fundamentals of Generative AI | 24% |
| Applications of Foundation Models | 28% |
| Guidelines for Responsible AI | 14% |
| Security Compliance and Governance for AI Solutions | 14% |
A practical way to study each domain is to separate it into concepts, related AWS services, and scenario-based decisions. Knowing what a service does is not enough; you also need to know when not to use it.
5. Exam language and availability
AWS exams may be available in multiple languages depending on the exam, region, and scheduling session. Before paying, confirm the available language for the exact exam in AWS Certification or Pearson VUE.
Even if you study in another language, AWS service names and many technical terms usually remain in English. For that reason, it is useful to learn concepts clearly while keeping official service names unchanged.
6. Recommended knowledge
Unless AWS states otherwise for a specific exam, there is usually no formal prerequisite. Still, solid preparation combines reading, practice, labs, and scenario-based review.
- Read the official exam guide.
- Map each domain to the major AWS services.
- Run small labs or console walkthroughs.
- Practice scenario-based questions.
- Record mistakes and why the other answers were wrong.
- Review IAM, logging, networking, cost, and monitoring even when they are not the main focus.
7. Cost registration and validity
| Exam fee | $100 USD |
| Registration platform | AWS Certification / Pearson VUE |
| Retake | Usually requires paying again and following the current AWS retake policy |
| Local currency and taxes | Can depend on country, taxes, and payment platform |
| Validity | Generally 3 years |
Before paying, check the exam code, exam version, available language, name on your ID, online proctoring requirements, and any available vouchers or discounts.
8. Where AIF-C01 fits in a career path
AIF-C01 is a foundation for AWS AI topics. MLA-C01 is a more technical machine learning route, while AIP-C01 focuses on generative AI applications.
| Goal | Possible route |
|---|---|
| Cloud fundamentals | CLF-C02 |
| Cloud architecture | SAA-C03 → SAP-C02 |
| Cloud development | DVA-C02 → DOP-C02 |
| Operations and DevOps | SOA-C03 → DOP-C02 |
| Data engineering | DEA-C01 → data lake, ETL, and analytics projects |
| Machine learning | AIF-C01 → MLA-C01 |
| Generative AI | AIF-C01 → AIP-C01 |
| Security | SAA-C03 or equivalent experience → SCS-C03 |
9. Study advice
The main challenge in AWS certification preparation is often not one specific service. It is the ability to read scenarios, compare tradeoffs, and choose the option that fits the constraints.
- Study concepts, not only service definitions.
- Practice scenarios, not only flashcards.
- Use small labs and set billing alerts.
- Delete unused resources after practice.
- Document hands-on projects in a portfolio or GitHub.
- Avoid resources that promise real exam questions or guaranteed passing.
Looking for prep resources, practice questions, and study guides for AIF-C01?
View AWS prep resources in English →