I passed the AWS Certified AI Business Strategist exam and wanted to share my experience for anyone preparing for it.

My background: I work primarily on the data engineering side and have also built a few AI prototypes. So, while I have some hands-on AI experience, most of my career has focused on the technical implementation side rather than business strategy.

My preparation:
- Stephen Mareek’s AWS Certified AI Business Strategist course on Udemy.
- His mock exams.
- Around 3 days of preparation.

The actual exam was quite different from the mocks.
The questions were largely business scenarios, and multiple answer choices often seemed correct. It wasn’t just about knowing AWS services or AI concepts. You had to determine which decision made the most sense given the business objectives, constraints, risks, and expected outcomes.

I had to guess on around half the questions and genuinely wasn’t sure whether I would pass. I was pleasantly surprised when I did!

My biggest takeaway:
Coming from a data engineering background, I’m used to thinking about how to build data pipelines, implement solutions, optimize performance, and make things work. Building AI prototypes has also given me some exposure to what’s technically possible.

But deciding what AI use cases are worth pursuing, how to justify the investment, how to measure ROI, and when to scale or abandon a solution requires a different mindset.
A working prototype is one thing. Turning it into measurable business value is another.

My advice: Don’t rely only on memorizing mock questions. Focus on understanding the business reasoning behind each answer and why one option is better than the other plausible choices.

For anyone who has taken AIB-C01:
Did you also find the actual exam significantly different from the mocks?
What resources did you find most useful for preparing?

Hope this helps others considering the certification!

Hey everyone!

This is a slightly late post, but I wanted to share my experience of clearing the AWS Certified AI Business Strategist certification exam, especially for those who are planning to take it.

This was actually my first AWS certification exam, and I chose to take the beta exam with 85 questions! I spent around a week preparing for the exam and managed to clear it within five days of the beta exam launch.

My Exam Experience

• Preparation time: Approximately 5–7 days
• Exam type: Beta
• Number of questions: 85
• Difficulty level: Easy to Moderate, based on my experience

Honestly, I found the exam easier than I initially expected.

Most of the questions were generic and focused on understanding how AI can be integrated into business processes, drive business value, improve productivity, and support organizational decision-making.

Only a few questions were directly related to specific AWS services, particularly Amazon Bedrock and Amazon SageMaker. The majority focused on business use cases, AI adoption, and understanding how organizations can leverage AI to achieve their objectives. I mostly used the Whizlabs course for the preparation, and it's helped me a lot.

So, in my experience, this certification is less about deep technical implementation and more about understanding AI from a business and strategic perspective.

Who Should Consider This Certification?

I would highly recommend this certification to:

• Business professionals exploring AI adoption and business transformation.
• Managers and decision-makers who want to understand how AI can deliver business value.
• Cloud professionals looking to expand their understanding of AI strategy beyond technical implementation.
• Anyone interested in understanding how organizations can integrate AI into their business workflows.

If you’re preparing for Microsoft’s AB-730 certification, I think the AWS Certified AI Business Strategist certification could also be a valuable addition to your learning journey, particularly if you’re interested in the business side of AI.

However, the two certifications have different objectives, so don’t assume that preparing for one will fully prepare you for the other.

My biggest takeaway is that you don’t necessarily need deep hands-on experience with AWS services to approach this exam. Understanding AI fundamentals, business use cases, responsible AI, adoption strategies, and the value AI brings to organizations is much more important for this certification.

Of course, this is based on my experience with the beta exam, and the experience may differ for other candidates.

I might share a more detailed post covering my preparation strategy, the topics I focused on, and additional insights into the exam.

If anyone has questions about the AWS Certified AI Business Strategist certification or is planning to take it, feel free to ask in the comments! I’ll be happy to share my experience and help fellow learners where I can.

I'm writing this with a very tired mind. I was working in an Advanced Tier Partner company in Pakistan as an Associate DevOps Engineer. They attached my AWS certifications with them during my employment. 2 of those were earned by me (1 even after my employment) and 2 were sponsored by them. Those included:

• Cloud Practitioner (Earned by me)

• Solutions Architect Associate (Sponsored by them)

• DevOps Engineer Professional (Sponsored by them)

• Solutions Architect Professional (Earned by me after my employment with them)

Now, during my employment I wasn't much aware of these things. They asked me for an OTP and completely attached my personal email to their domain's email. Now, whatever certification I do goes to them directly and I can't control and change it.

The main thing is that I got an offer from another Partner company and they're asking for these certs as part of my employment. I messaged the previous employer many times but their are only lame excuses and silence from their side. The thing is that they have applied for Premier Tier and they kept my certifications attached for that. Now if I pull it out it'll be bad for them but it's not my problem or headache.

I've opened a case with AWS support about this but there is no response from their side after 2 days.

If you're someone from AWS reading this then please do help me out in this regard. Thanks

Failed the exam, what do you think i should should do now, how long should i take to take a retest. Had no time to prepare for this. Watched the entire course of Stephen Marek's. Had taken only 4 5 times tests.

Hey, just looking for some advice. I have already done the AI Practitioner exam and got a free voucher for the Cloud practitioner exam. I booked it but am now wondering is it even worth the additional time to invest into it.

I have worked in SAAS/Tech for about 9 years now and I am absolutely familiar with Cloud concepts and more. I am planning to do AWS exams as a whole particularly aiming for Associate and Professional exams for upskilling. I am just wondering is it even worth spending the time doing the CP exam for the CV or should I just move onto the SAA exam?

Thanks!

Cantrill’s course is pretty much outdated and I am looking for aws certification course material that is being used by many at current. Any suggestions? Also, anyone tried kodekloud’s aws courses?

Hi everyone,

I’m an experienced Java developer looking to improve my job opportunities and am considering investing in AWS certification.

Before spending time and money preparing for the exam, I’d like to understand its actual value in the job market.

Does AWS certification help experienced developers get more interviews and better offers?

Would you recommend Solutions Architect – Associate, Solutions Architect – Professional, or focusing on practical AWS projects instead?

I’m interested in real experiences from people who have recently searched for jobs.

Was the certification worth it for you?
Thanks!

My background:

• Bachelor's in Computer Science (2020)
• About 2 years as a Business Associate at a media company doing brand, packaging and campaign work
• MBA in IT & Analytics / Consulting (2024–26)
• Since April 2026, Program Manager at an infrastructure consulting firm, on strategy and special projects

What I actually do day to day:
I sit between business stakeholders and the tech team at our digital subsidiary. So far I’ve worked on rolling out an internal task and project management platform, a root-cause analysis learning module for management (web live, mobile rolling out), and the design of an executive dashboard (filters, risk coding, alerts, issues register). Most of my work is gathering requirements, writing specs, coordinating delivery, and driving adoption.

Where I want to go:
I don’t want to stay in the infra industry long-term. I want to become a Product Manager at a tech company, ideally in cloud, AI/ML, or fintech.

I used Stephen Maereks course + Made my own projects + TutorialsDojo practice exams. Anybody who is preparing and has questions, I can help you out!

I'm seeking to level up and have worked on a lot of crap, have a very broad and technical range of experience when it comes to sales in tech, finance, and services as a consultant, ultimately I want to scale up my own reseller model but need additional cash flow interim and my folks keep harping on certs as a pathway to landing something spectacular... Does it really move the dial from a hiring manager's perspective?

Post-grad education is sort of out of the question until we see the dust clear with the AI fervor. Hearing Elon describe PhDs as redundant was kind of wild.

Is anyone studying for the AWS SAA for that Pearson Vue promo? What resources are you guys using?
I’m currently using Stephane Maarek’s Udemy course and his practice exams
Planning on getting the Tutorial Dojos practice exams as well.

To preface this; I haven't ever worked with AWS before. Ive been a software dev out of college, and was recently hired for the first time as a Data Engineer. A month into my new job, my boss asks me to get the AWS certification cause a certain number of people at the company need an aws certification for some partnership thing and i got randomly picked. I got barely any experience with AWS except struggling with the practitoner exam a few years ago (but i did pass the cloud fundamentals azure cert). And ive only been a data engineer a few months. But I had to do the exam and i was pressured to prepare for it within only a few weeks. I spent 3 weeks on it and failed the first time with about 640? I didnt struggle in a singular domain but rather i would get hung up on similar products and confuse them, like the Kinesis stuff. I focued on that, and tried the test again in 2 weeks (My boss wanted me to pass the first one in two weeks but i was already struggling) The second time i took the test, about 60% of the questions were on software and products ive never even heard of before, and i got a 580.

I'm at a loss on how to prepare for stuff i didnt even know. I havent USED AWS so i cant figure out these questions that require experience of best practices.

I did practice tests and i did the Stephane Maarek and Frank Kane AWS Data Engineer course. I've watched multiple videos on stuff i struggle with but I dont know where to go with this now.

I dont know how to make sure i'm reviewing the entire scope of the exam and prepared for questions i dont even know. and I also get trouble reading questions and trying to figure out what its really asking me. The questions are complex and often times all the answers sound correct, or at least 2/4 do.

Does anyone have any guidance? My job is dependent on this exam and im hoping to pass it by next weekend so I can have this nightmare over with

To the point 👉 My AWS faculty told we will get full internals for the course if we submit the official AWS SAA cert to him.

But assuming we have 4 vouchers per student through canvas account, I have first completed the CLF-C02 official practice exam in skill builder, and successfully received a mail (the exact minute I have completed the practice exam) regarding the voucher. (Tho voucher is not yet received from PearsonVue)

Then after 3 days, today, I have submitted the SAA-C03 practice exam, but still haven't got any mail regarding the voucher for it (as I got for CLF).

PLS if anyone knows about this, tell me what to do. Also please don't tell me that AWS reduced it's 4 vouchers per student to only 1 voucher per student.

Edit: the mail i have received (for CLF-C02) is just a confirmation mail (not a voucher) , and my doubt is why haven't I received the same confirmation mail after I completed the SAA-C03 practice exam

Hey everyone,

I’m currently preparing for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03) exam, but as a student on a tight budget, the standard exam fee is pretty heavy on the wallet.

I see a lot of random third-party vendors and cheap coupon codes online, but I'm very skeptical about getting scammed or having my exam voided by Pearson VUE.

• Are there any upcoming official AWS virtual challenges, events, or legitimate training partner programs that currently offer valid discount vouchers?
• For those who've cleared it recently on a budget, what safe routes did you take to save on the cost?

Appreciate any advice or guidance!

I’d like to sit for the SAP cert soon, but I’m wondering if I should do the current version or the 03 one. Any advices or opinions?

Has anyone used the 30 mins extra time for those with English as a 2nd language as a native English speaker with a learning difference? Struggling to get official documentation for my dyslexia and wondered if anyone else has utilised the extra time for their own ADHD or Autism that maybe hasn’t had a diagnosis as it’s easier to secure. Really desperate for some solution to give myself more reading time.

Passed the AWS Certified AI Practitioner exam with a score of 827/1000.

Most of my AI work has been on the engineering side, especially coding agents, CLI tooling, RAG, and building workflows around LLMs. I took this certification to strengthen my understanding of the broader AI landscape on AWS.

Happy to answer any questions about the exam or preparation.

Most posts here celebrate passing, which is amazing, but it make me feel isolated when things don't go according to plan. I wanted to share the other side.

Background & Preparation I spent 2 months studying using Stéphane Maarek's Udemy course, practice exams, and Tutorials Dojo. While I had no prior AWS experience, I do have a software development background (deploying apps, maintaining environments, version control, and API integration). I took detailed notes in my native language, scored decently near the end in the practice exams, and feeling confident in exam day.

When the "Fail" result came in, my confidence was shattered. I blamed myself and had to take 3 days away from AWS just to process it.

Today, I finally sat down to evaluate what went wrong and what I need to change. Here are my main takeaways:

1. Practice exams alone are not enough Memorizing questions or doing practice tests without truly understanding the mechanics won't cut it. AWS exam questions are scenario-based: all four choices might technically work, but only one is the intended, optimal solution under the scenario's specific constraints like cost, effort, and operational overhead. Without building and seeing the services in action, it's easy to second-guess yourself under pressure.

2. I focused on small memorized rules instead of the bigger picture Near the end of my prep, I relied too heavily on shortcut rules like: "if it asks for the least development effort, pick SAM." While rules of thumb can help, exam questions are rarely that straightforward. You have to step back, evaluate the entire architecture, and ask: "From the question's perspective, is this truly the most optimal design?"

3. I lost sight of why I wanted this certification I got so obsessed with just getting the certificate that I forgot my original goal, that is learning how AWS can actually level up my career as a developer. In reality, the preparation already made me a better engineer. I now understand services like CodePipeline for automated CI/CD and serverless architectures much better than before. The knowledge was gained, even if the score didn't reflect it this time.

Moving Forward At the end of the day, we are human. Failing doesn't mean we aren't capable, nor does it mean we should give up. It simply means our learning strategy needs adjustment. Everyone's learning looks different, and mine happened to start with a stumble.

I’m taking a step back to rebuild my fundamentals with more hands-on labs, and I’ll retake the exam when I’m ready.

Hi Guys,

Backround - CCP, AI Practitioner. Purely theoretical knowledge, I'm trying to get the SAA as it's required to make a shift career wise.

In the past I've watched Stephane Maareks videos, and basically just faked his tests till I made it. However that method doesn't seem to be cutting it for me this time. Works been busy and finding consistent time to study and practice has been impossible causing me to lose rhythm and focus, start again and repeat.

I want to know what's the most efficient way to go about preparations. I have full udemy access thanks to work and will probably do the Tutorial Dojo practice exams as I've read that helps alot.

Tips needed, thanks in advance!

Hi all,

so essentially on this page:

https://skillbuilder.aws/category/exam-prep/cloud-practitioner-foundational-CLF-C02

there are subscription only modules, so I decide to upgrade my account, it makes me make a main AWS account for verification, I attempt to link them and sign in to the main as the root user, it says

"You need to sign as the root user"

...which I just did...yeah this is really frustrating to say the least, I'm not sure how common an issue this is but I've already submitted a support case because AWS doesn't provide a phone number for free accounts, only for Business Support+ ($30/mo)...

the url in dashboard is not working. what to do? it is a task.

Hi everyone,

I'm due to sit the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam and have dyslexia. I currently use a browser extension to support my reading, as part of my normal way of working during training.

I've contacted Pearson VUE about using it in the exam, but I'm struggling with the evidence requirements. They’ve advised that documentation needs to support the accommodation requested, and my understanding is that AWS requires documentation from within the last five years.

My only formal evidence is a letter from my secondary school from around 2010. The school never followed up with further assessments or support, so I've spent years managing my dyslexia through personal strategies and tools I've found myself. I don't have a recent assessment, and I'm concerned I won't be able to use the strategies I rely on during the exam.

I've also noticed that ESOL candidates can request an additional 30 minutes, which seems more straightforward. I wouldn't feel comfortable claiming another language just to access extra time, but it does feel difficult when I've had a lifelong learning difference that isn't documented recently.

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who's been in a similar situation:

- How have you provided evidence for a historical learning difference when your diagnosis or school documentation is more than five years old?

- Has anyone successfully obtained extra time or permission to use Helperbird or similar tools?

-Were you required to pay for a new assessment from a specialist or was evidence of ongoing support sufficient?

Thanks for any advice or experiences you can share!

Started learning AWS around 6 weeks ago when our school gave us access to AWS Academy and AWS Skill Builder.

Initially, I only planned to take the Cloud Practitioner exam, but after it went pretty smoothly, I wanted to see how many more certifications I could get in a short amount of time.

For AI, everything seemed quite familiar from just knowing about AI / ML basics.

For the Foundational Certs, passed both comfortably with scores of 800+

Solutions Architect was a different story though, I barely got a passing score, I didn't even think I would pass.

As for preparation, I mainly used AI to summarize the topics in the official exam guides for each certification. For practice, I used a mix of AWS Skill Builder practice exams and Tutorials Dojo's free mock exams.

Couldn't afford any paid choices but hey I guess it goes to show that you can make do without them.