AWS has launched a new AI certification for business roles. Beta registration for AWS Certified AI Business Strategist (AIB-C01) opened on September 1, 2026, and beta exam delivery began on September 29, 2026. The beta costs 50 USD (the standard price is 100 USD), and anyone who earns the certification by February 15, 2027 also receives an Early Adopter digital badge.
The exam tests business judgment on AI: evaluating AI investments, building business cases, designing governance and scaling adoption. AWS states that it does not assess knowledge of AWS services.
Who this affects
AWS aims AIB-C01 at product and program managers, sales and business development professionals, line-of-business leaders, consultants, business analysts and marketing professionals. It recommends six months of experience working with or alongside AI initiatives, and requires no coding, no AWS implementation experience and no other AWS certification.
If you want AWS’s technical starting point instead, that is still the AWS Certified AI Practitioner (AIF-C01). Our AIF-C01 cost guide and AI certification rankings can help you choose.
What to do now
- Read the exam guide first. It lists four domains: AI Fundamentals and Literacy (24%), AI Strategy and Business Value Creation (28%), AI Governance and Responsible AI Leadership (24%), and Business Readiness, Leadership, and AI Transformation (24%). The pass mark is 700 on a 100–1,000 scale.
- Know the beta format. 170 minutes and 85 multiple choice and multiple response questions, in English or Japanese, at a Pearson test center or online proctored.
- Weigh the one-attempt rule. AWS lets you take a beta exam only once. If you fail, you wait for the standard version to retake. Pass, and you hold the full certification, active for three years.
- Use the free AWS prep. AWS Skill Builder has digital courses for the role and an exam prep plan. The Official Practice Exam is not available during the beta.
Key dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | AWS announces the certification; beta registration opens |
| September 29, 2026 | Beta exam delivery begins |
| February 15, 2027 | Earn the certification by this date to also get the Early Adopter badge |
| Not yet announced | Standard exam (100 USD, 130 minutes) and more languages |
Source
- AWS Certified AI Business Strategist certification page
- AWS launch announcement (September 1, 2026)
- AIB-C01 exam guide
- AWS Certification Before Testing policies (beta exams)
Checked against the AWS Certified AI Business Strategist certification page, the AIB-C01 exam guide and AWS’s launch announcement on October 6, 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does the AWS AI Business Strategist exam cost?
The AIB-C01 beta costs 50 USD. AWS lists the standard exam price as 100 USD.
Do I need technical or AWS experience for AIB-C01?
No. AWS says no coding, AWS implementation experience or other AWS certifications are required, and the exam does not assess knowledge of AWS services. AWS recommends about six months of working with or alongside AI initiatives.
What is the AIB-C01 Early Adopter badge?
Anyone who earns the AWS Certified AI Business Strategist certification by February 15, 2027 receives an additional Early Adopter digital badge alongside the certification badge.
Should I take AIB-C01 or the AWS AI Practitioner (AIF-C01)?
They test different skills. AIB-C01 checks business judgment on AI investments, governance and adoption, while AIF-C01 checks foundational AI, ML and generative AI knowledge plus AWS AI services. AWS notes you can earn both.
